This football club rocks when the fans are behind it

Last updated : 11 September 2010 By Tony Scholes
Ferguson has combined rest with hard work on the training ground over the last two weeks since they last played and believes his side are now ready to start moving up the table.

"The lads have had a rest, they are fresh, the fixture list has brought up Burnley straight after the break and so, for me, there is no better game to play," he said.

"We have to have a good level of energy and desire when we don't have the ball, and it's important we don't run round like headless chickens when we have it. We need good composure. One thing I haven't been happy about in some games this season is the times we've given the ball away.

"I want us to go to Burnley and do ourselves justice. If we do that we will give them a good game. Perhaps there is a bit more pressure on Burnley, they lost at Swansea last time out and they are a side expected to go straight back up to the Premier League.

"We must make sure we take any chances which come our way, that's something we haven't been doing. As games go on, I can't keep saying we should have picked up points and didn't, we have to take those chances and we have to start getting points.

"We have had a good chat with the lads about the things we have to be better at, and their performances have been getting better. It would be great if we could go to Burnley and win at the start of this busy run of matches."

Burnley boss Laws knows it is a big game for the fans, the local derby this season in the Championship, and he said: "Anybody who actually says it's a normal game must be a lunatic because it's absolutely the contrary. It's one of the biggest games of our season.

"It's fantastic for the players and the supporters who have been waiting for this game for a fortnight now and they can't wait for it to happen.

"This football club rocks when the fans are behind it. They have seen the good home form we've got and to maintain it against your local rivals will give everyone a huge lift.

"There is a lot at stake and the fans have a huge role to play. We will do everything we can to get the right result for our supporters, but Preston aren't going to lie down and let it happen. They will fight for everything and this will be as tough as the games come."

Burnley's last Lancashire derby saw us go down 1-0 to Blackburn, and Laws added: "I don't think we turned up on the game and the fact that we got done on a penalty decision that wasn't even a penalty leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

"I want to eradicate that as quickly as we can and the only way we can do that is in our next derby game and what better one than against Preston.

"Our supporters see this as a huge game and there are a lot of things that come from it. The three points are the most important and if you can win it gives you a huge lift and belief to take into the next period when we have seven games in 21 days.

"To have a start like that to take into those seven games would be fantastic. That's what our aim is, although local derbies are renowned for being very unpredictable."