Burnley striker Steven Fletcher claims he will only leave Turf Moor if the Clarets want to sell him after being linked with Bolton.

Fletcher will be playing Championship football next season after the Lancashire outfit were relegated after just one season in the Premier League, but he does not want to jump ship.

He said: “If the club want to sell me, they want to sell me.

“But I am happy to stay on. I have three years left on my contract.”

The Scotland star added: “We have always been a close team. I noticed that as soon as I arrived. We can only get stronger as we go on.

“Everyone is a bit downhearted as we wanted to stay in the league. We just have to build for next season and hopefully come straight back up.”

Burnley striker David Nugent is facing a race against time to be fit to face Liverpool in Sunday’s crucial clash at Turf Moor.

Nugent, on loan from Portsmouth until the end of the season, has picked a hamstring strain which kept him out last weekend’s defeat at Sunderland, failing a fitness test on the morning of the game.

Brian Laws is hoping the striker can shake off the injury in time to face Rafa Benitez’s men, who face the prospect of a 1,200-mile road trip to Madrid for their Europa League tie with Atletico.

Speaking about the injury, Laws said: “It was a massive blow to us to lose David, but in our opinion he will be fit for next week, which gives us an even better chance.”

Nugent, who was born on Merseyside, has scored six goals so far for the Clarets after joining them on loan in September last year.

Liverpool did Burnley a favour with a 3-0 win over relegation rivals West Ham on Monday, a result which leaves the Clarets four points behind the Hammers with three games remaining.

Monday’s win also keeps Liverpool in the running for fourth place, but the Reds have not won away in the Premier League since December.

Burnley midfielder Joey Gudjonsson has claimed Clarets manager Brian Laws has lost the dressing room at Turf Moor and says the players have lost faith in their boss.

The Lancashire outfit have won just one game since Laws took over following Owen Coyle’s decision to leave the club and take over at Bolton.

They have lost 11 of their last 13 matches and now look doomed to return to the Championship after just one season in the Premier League.

Speculation has been rife this week that Laws would get the sack after the 6-1 mauling by Manchester City last weekend.

However, Laws has played down talk of him leaving the club and has even said that there is no unrest at the club, despite reports of a bust-up between himself, Kevin McDonald and Robbie Blake.

Gudjonsson’s comments contradict Laws and the Icelandic midfielder claims no one at the club has faith in the manager anymore.

“He lost the dressing room long ago,” Gudjonsson told Icelandic website fotbolti.net.

“I think all the players have lost faith in him, the performances say all that has to be said.”

Tottenham have reportedly joined Everton in the chase to sign Burnley winger Chris Eagles if the Clarets are relegated from the Premier League.

The former Manchester United youngster could also be on Bolton’s radar if former Turf Moor chief Owen Coyle fancies a reunion with the 24-year-old at the Reebok Stadium.

Eagles is under contract until 2011 but is also one of Burnley’s most bankable assets despite the fact he has struggled to hold down a regular place in the side.

Eagles was a substitute against Wigan at the weekend when he came on for Martin Paterson in the final 10 minutes.

The Clarets are currently in the bottom three, three points from safety but having played a game more than Wolves and West Ham who are the two sides immediately above them in the table.

Burnley boss Brian Laws is confident he has enough firepower at his disposal to keep the Clarets in the Premier League.

Laws saw loan striker David Nugent hit his sixth goal to secure a 1-1 draw with Stoke on Wednesday night as the home side salvaged what could prove to be a crucial point.

Burnley remain in the relegation zone but only on goal difference and face a six-pointer against fellow strugglers Wolves at home on Saturday.

And Laws feels he has got goals in his side in the shape of Nugent, Martin Paterson, Steven Fletcher, Steven Thompson and Robbie Blake.

The former Sheffield Wednesday manager said: “Everyone expects Burnley not to be in the Premier League next year but we believe it.

“I will take a lot of things out of the game particularly the second half-performance. They bullied us in the first half.

“The players could have felt sorry for themselves but responded magnificently.”

Burnley boss Brian Laws claims there is still all to play for this season after the Clarets were beaten 2-1 at home by crisis club Portsmouth.

The Turf Moor outfit have been relying on home form to give them a chance of Premier League survival given the fact they are one of only two clubs, along with Hull, yet to win on the road.

Burnley have now lost three games on home soil after failing to capitalise on Pompey’s off-field problems at the weekend but all is not lost, according to Laws.

He said: “At the end of the day you don’t cave in because you’ve made that mistake and that’s it, the season’s over.

“There are still a lot of games to play and a lot of points available.

“It hasn’t ended our season, it just means it’s going to make it harder for us.”

Burnley return to league action at Arsenal on Saturday one point adrift at the foot of the table.

Burnley newbie Danny Fox has proclaimed his debut against West Ham last Saturday was his best day in football.

Fox made a lasting first impression on his first appearance after his arrival from Celtic, creating one goal and scoring the other in his team’s 2-1 victory over West Ham.

The talented full-back was happy with his first game for his new club and believes he can only get better.

“That was obviously my best day in football,” Fox said.

“A lot of people said I wouldn’t play in the Premier League.

“If someone had said we’d won 2-1 I wouldn’t have cared who had scored, but for it to be my debut and to score the winner it’s a bit extra special. I couldn’t have dreamed of it.

“I practised free-kicks for about an hour and a half on Friday with Tyrone Mears and hit the target once!

“I wasn’t going to shoot to be honest but Nuge (David Nugent) just came up to me at the last minute and said go for goal because it was just outside the box.

“I think Robert Green might have thought I was going to cross it and I thought it was going over until the last second, but it just dipped into the top corner.

“I know it’s only my first game and I need to become a bit more consistent, but hopefully I can answer a few critics along the way.

“A debut like that definitely makes me think that Burnley is the place for me, although I thought that anyway.

“And I think I can get better. If you look at Tyrone on the other side he’s non-stop all game and I want to be a bit like that myself.”

Burnley look set to beat Birmingham to the signature of Monaco striker Frederic Nimani, with the Clarets hoping to seal a deal before the weekend.

Brian Laws has confirmed that Burnley are trying to land the French Under-21 international, who would become the manager’s first signing since taking charge at Turf Moor.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is also understood to be interested in Nimani, who is poised to move to the Premier League on loan until the end of the season.

But Burnley say they hope to wrap up the capture ‘within the next 24 hours’ and that is unlikely to be the last deal for the Clarets during January’s transfer window.

Laws revealed: “We want to try to strengthen the team and while I am prioritising other areas, if there’s an opportunity we can’t miss then we will nip in.”

The Turf Moor chief has also been trying to extend David Nugent’s stay at the club on loan from Portsmouth to the end of the season.

Burnley have confirmed that coach Steve Davis will act as caretaker manager for Saturday’s game with Stoke following Owen Coyle’s decision to join Bolton.

While Coyle has yet to be officially unveiled as the new Trotters boss Clarets chairman Barry Kilby has confirmed that the Scot has now left Turf Moor.

“We are all grown men, but it was quite emotional when Owen left, he has a big affection for this club,” said Kilby.

“It was with regret that he went and he did say to me there was only Celtic or Bolton he would leave Burnley for. But it has come at a bad time, that is for sure.”

With the January transfer window having just opened Kilby is now keen to bring someone in quickly in order to maximise the time he has to bring in new players.

While the Clarets chairman hasn’t mention any names as yet it has been reported that before he left Coyle recommended John Hughes, manager of Scottish side Hibernian, to takeover at Turf Moor .

Swansea manager Paulo Sousa is another name to be linked with the now vacant managerial role at Burnley after the impressive job he has done with the Welsh side, turning them into play-off contenders in the Championship.

Kilby says that whoever they appoint the sole focus at the club is to stay in the Premier League.

“We have got to get going. Let’s put this behind us and make sure we stay in this Premier League,” he added.

“We have to see who is out there. We need to get this one sorted out as soon as we can.”

Burnley have confirmed that a decision on whether manager Owen Coyle will be allowed to leave Turf Moor for the Bolton Wanderers hot seat will be made within 24 hours.

Clarets chairman Barry Kilby met with Coyle on Monday evening after it was reported that the clubs had agreed a compensation package of around £3million.

There will now be a period of contemplation before a decision on whether the Scot will return to his former club or stay put and continue his good work with the Clarets, who he guided to the Premier League via the play-offs last season.

A statement from Burnley on Monday night said: “Senior Burnley Football Club officials have, on Monday evening, held detailed talks with first team manager Owen Coyle over his future at Turf Moor.

“As a result of these talks over Coyle’s future with his current employers, both parties have decided to take a further 24 hours to digest the information shared before making any further announcement.

“There will be no further comment during this time from Burnley Football Club or Owen Coyle.”