ON-LOAN Clarets striker Gareth Taylor heads for Watford tonight looking to cement his place at least in Burnley's short-term plans.

Taylor plays the fifth game since his arrival from Manchester City at Vicarage Road and is keen to extend his stay at Turf Moor.

His first month's loan expires after Saturday's trip to Sheffield Wednesday and Taylor hopes discussions with manager Stan Ternent will be favourable.

He said: "I'm sure in the next week we'll be sitting down and talking and see how things go from there.

"I like it here a lot. I do enjoy it and I'm really pleased with the opportunity to be playing first-team football.

"It's great and I can't ask for any more at the moment. It's a huge club with great support and the fans really get behind the team. It's great that I've been given the opportunity to be playing again."

Taylor is yet to score since joining the Clarets but has made a favourable impression and it would be a surprise if he didn't stay at least until the end of the season -- when Burnley may be first in the queue to sign the 28-year-old on a permanent basis when his contract at Manchester City expires.

The former Sheffield United and Crystal Palace front man has answered Ternent's need for a big man up front to compliment Ian Moore and Andy Payton.

And Taylor is now looking for the goal to cap the promising start to his Burnley career.

He added: "I'm enjoying it. Out of the four games I think I've not done badly. I'm quite pleased with the way I've played considering I've been out of top-flight football for well over a year.

"It's going okay, I just feel better with every game. I've had a couple of half-chances. There have been a couple of games where myself and Mooro haven't had a lot of opportunities but you've just got to keep plugging away and I'm sure the tide will turn and the goals will start banging in."

Burnley had lost three games in a row when Taylor arrived to enjoy a winning debut against table-topping Fulham.

And he is looking to continue that improvement in form against a seventh-placed Watford side pushing for the play-offs.

He said: "Out of the four, two wins a draw isn't too bad considering the form the club was showing beforehand.

"I was told that the team was playing well but it was just a case of goals not going and unfortunate goals going in at the other end.

"So sometimes you just need a bit of luck and it turns. We had a good performance against Fulham, we let ourselves down a bit at Portsmouth but got a good draw in difficult conditions at Stockport and if we go to Watford tonight and get a good result it will stand us in good stead for the remaining games.

"It will probably be a bit more of football game with more passing and we are looking forward to it. The lads seem pretty confident and we're going down looking for a good result."

Unfortunately for Burnley, and for Taylor, they again look set to be without Glen Little, who is struggling to shake off an ankle injury.

The winger was unable to train yesterday and is a doubtful starter, while Graham Branch is also on the injured list.

If Branch fails to recover that would take two wide men out of the equation, although Lee Briscoe and Paul Weller still provide attacking options on the flanks. And as well as Gordon Armstrong's return to the squad after suspension, Andy Payton may be pressing for a start.

Watford could recall captain Robert Page in place of James Panayi at the back, while Heidar Helguson stands by to come in for Dutchman Nordin Wooter if the winger fails a fitness test.

However, Hornets boss Graham Taylor will be keen to keep changes to a minimum after a first win in seven games against Norwich on Saturday with a performance he described as their best of the season.

Burnley from: Michopoulos, Weller, Briscoe, Cox, Davis, Thomas, Ball, Cook, Taylor, Moore, Payton, Armstrong, Mullin, Maylett, West, Brass, Smith, Crichton.

Watford from: Baardsen, Easton, Cox, Robinson, Panayi, Ward, Vernazza, Nielsen, Mooney, Wooter, Smith, Helguson, Page, Kennedy, Fisken, Perpetuini, Chamberlain.