Our last Premier League game at the Turf

Just as was the case in 2010, we've had our relegation confirmed with two games to go and now face Stoke tomorrow and Aston Villa a week on Sunday for pride only and hopefully enough points to at least keep us above QPR and hopefully get above Hull, the team we climbed above on the last day in that last Premier League season.

I don't think we've got over the disappointment of last week but at least we went down fighting with that 1-0 win at the KC and that's been the case all season. Only twice have we been beaten by more than two goals, firstly at West Brom when we were admittedly poor and then at Arsenal on the first day in November.

Some teams pack their suitcases once the season is over in real terms but I don't think this Burnley team will and I'm sure we'll get exactly the same level of commitment from them as we have done in all of the games.

Tom Heaton is hungry to get back into the Premier League

It is almost certain that this game will give Danny Ings a last Turf Moor appearance as a Burnley player and probably appropriate against Stoke against whom he scored twice in quick succession earlier in the season to help us to our first away win.

There could be other players too who will be donning our claret and blue shirt for the last time. It is always the case that players come and go at every club in the close season and ours will be no exception.

If you look at the team of a year ago that played the last home game against Ipswich, all of the starting eleven are still with us but four of the seven substitutes that day left the club last summer.

One player who is most definitely not leaving is goalkeeper Tom Heaton. He's spoken this week of his desire to remain at Burnley after two years so far with the club and he's been reflecting this week on our relegation.

He said: "It would drive you made if you do the whole 'what if' thing but we can look back, reflect and then move things forward. I think looking at it as a whole, as individuals and as a team, we need to learn from it and built upon it next season.

"There is certainly an awful lot of hunger to get back into the Premier League now we have had a taste of it. That starts with the next two games, trying to build some momentum and then moving that into the next season."

Heaton also had a word for the Burnley supporters. He commented: "The support this season has been outstanding and going from last year when we won a lot of games to this year where we've not had as many, it can be tough. I have to say they've been amazing and that culminated in the game against Hull on Saturday.

"I think the overriding factor with fans is that when people can see the will and desire and that players are giving everything for the shirt, they can get behind that. Certainly, when I've watched football, you can almost back that and follow it. That's certainly been a journey for us as players and the fans that they know we've given our all for the club."

Everyone is fit for the game apart from Kevin Long and Dean Marney, the two long term injury victims, and it remains to be seen whether Sean Dyche makes a change or sticks to the team that played in the last two games at West Ham and Hull.

If he does, we'll line up: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, George Boyd, Scott Arfield, David Jones, Matt Taylor, Danny Ings, Ashley Barnes. Subs from: Matt Gilks, Steven Reid, Michael Keane, Stephen Ward, Fredrik Ulvestad, Ross Wallace, Michael Kightly, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Sam Vokes, Marvin Sordell.

Should we win, it will mean we've beaten the points total achieved in 2009/10 and our opponents Stoke are also looking for a record points haul in the Premier League. They hit the fifty points total last week when they beat Spurs 3-0 and that's equalled last season's total.

They've certainly pushed on since Mark Hughes replaced Tony Pulis two summers ago and they've also won five away games this season and that is a best ever since their promotion in 2008. Those wins to date have come against Man City, Spurs, Everton, Leicester and Aston Villa.

The win last week moved Stoke up to ninth in the table but it will be difficult for them to climb any higher. Swansea are currently eighth but hold a six point advantage over the Potters, but Stoke will know they have a chance if they win their last two games.

The goalscoring threat has come from Mame Biram Diouf. The Senegalese striker who scored his only Man United goal against us in January 2010 before enjoying a loan at Blackburn, joined Stoke last summer from Hannover 96 and has netted nine league goals this season. Behind him are Peter Crouch and Jonathan Walters who have both scored seven.

It looks as though they will go into tomorrow's game without captain Ryan Shawcross. He's tweaked a knee in training and is rated very doubtful. The most likely replacement is Philipp Wollscheid although they also have Marc Wilson available again and Geoff Cameron could move into the middle from left back.

One player who won't be involved against us is Krkic Bojan. He's currently back in his homeland Spain recovering from a long term injury. He was, without a doubt, Stoke's best player in the game against us at the Britannia.

How will Stoke line up? Their team last week in that 3-0 win against Spurs was: Jack Butland, Geoff Cameron, Erik Pieters, Ryan Shawcross, Marc Muniesa, Glenn Whelan, Steven Nzonzi, Jonathan Walters, Charlie Adam, Marko Arnautovic, Mame Biram Diouf. Subs: Thomas Sorensen, Phil Bardsley, Philipp Wollscheid, Steven Sidwell, Stephen Ireland, Peter Odemwingie, Peter Crouch.

Last Time They Were Here

Stoke were last at Burnley in our last Premier League season. It was the only game we had postponed during 2009/10 and had it gone ahead when originally scheduled, we'd have been under the temporary management of Steve Davis following the departure of Owen Coyle to Bolton.

We went into the game having lost the previous four and Brian Laws made just one change to the team, bringing in Steven Thompson for his first ever Premier League start in the continued absence of Steven Fletcher.

Man of the match Kevin McDonald

The Turf Moor pitch was now looking something of a mess, but that didn't really bother Stoke whose game was not reliant on a decent surface. And, it will come as no surprise to learn that they took the lead from a throw in.

In it came from Rory Delap. It was headed on by Mamady Sidibe for Tuncay Sanli to head home. Probably for the first time all season there were dissenting voices in the stands and it was Graham Alexander who got it in the neck after twice playing poor balls.

We should have levelled when Martin Paterson missed after being set up by Chris Eagles and we went in at half time 1-0 down.

Jack Cork was replaced for the second half by Kevin McDonald. The Scot had lost his place in midfield after a number of below par performances but he came on and played as well as I'd ever seen him play in the second half of this game.

Seven minutes into the half we drew level. Thompson played the ball across the pitch for Paterson and his cross was met by David Nugent who equalised with a superb header. It proved to be his last goal for the club.

Paterson went close, Nugent did again and finally man of the match McDonald, right at the end, came so, so close with a shot from the corner of the penalty box.

We had to settle for a point which left us in the bottom three, behind Wolves on goal difference.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Leon Cort, Danny Fox (Stephen Jordan 77), Martin Paterson, Jack Cork (Kevin McDonald 45), Graham Alexander, Chris Eagles, David Nugent, Steven Thompson (Wade Elliott 71). Subs not used: Nicky Weaver, Michael Duff, Andre Bikey, Robbie Blake.

Stoke: Thomas Sorensen, Andy Wilkinson, Abdoulaye Faye, Robert Huth, Danny Collins, Liam Lawrence (Danny Pugh 63), Dean Whitehead, Rory Delap, Matthew Etherington, Mamady Sidibe (Dave Kitson 63), Tuncay Sanli (Louis Moult 85). Subs not used: Asmir Begovic, Amdy Faye, Andrew Davis, Matthew Lund.

Previous Games against Stoke

Click HERE to see all previous results against Stoke