ERIK Pieters insists he didn't join Burnley to come and sit on the bench and be Charlie Taylor's back-up.

The left-back, who was signed from Stoke City in the summer transfer window, started in Saturday's 3-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League and registered two assists.

Pieters, a Netherlands international, commented how Sean Dyche tweaked with the side at half-time to unlock the Saints defence.

"The main things are the clean sheet and the win, especially on the first day of the season," said Pieters.

"We didn't play how we wanted to in the first half, but the second half was much better and we scored some good goals. It was good.

"It's always good to get a couple of assists so early in the season. I have to continue this now.

"I'm new in the team so the lads have got to get used to me and I've got to get used to the lads. I think the more we play together the better it will go.

"We'll give it 100% in every single game and pick up as many points as we're able to.

"We have to aim for the highest finish possible and we've had a good start to the season. We'll recover well and get ready for Arsenal away."

Pieters has international appearances for the Netherlands and started his playing career at Utrecht before moving on to PSV Eindhoven.

After five years at PSV, he was signed by Stoke City and spent six years there before being signed by Dyche this summer.

The left-back sympathised with his manager when having to pick the first starting 11 of the new Premier League season.

"We all had a good pre-season so I think it was difficult for the manager to pick his first 11," added the 31-year-old.

"We've got a great team, it's a great group of lads, so we've got to do it altogether. We'll need everyone during the season.

"I'm not coming here to sit on the bench, but I know Charlie [Taylor] had a really good season last year. I'm looking forward to going on and battling it out with him for the position.

"It was a great debut, the weather wasn't that nice, but I remember two years ago, when I played with Stoke, it was a night game and it was the same.

"It was raining, cold, windy as well. It wasn't the best weather, but it was a good game.

"It was quite hard because when they're playing the long ball the wind takes over. In both halves the ball changed direction when you're trying to head it.

"It went completely the other way, but you have to deal with it and I think we did that better in the second half.

"We tried to switch the game from right to left and left to right, but it was quite hard in the first half because they had loads of energy.

"They backed down a little bit in the second half and the space appeared.

"We changed our game to get the ball in behind, to stretch them a little more, and then the space came in midfield. I think we played really well in the second half."