'Inject belief': What Vincent Kompany said ahead of Burnley's must-win clash against Bournemouth

The Clarets are currently enduring an eight-game run without a win that leaves them 19th in the table, 11 points adrift of safety.

With only 12 games remaining, the outlook is looking bleak. But in Bournemouth, they are facing an out-of-sorts outfit who are without a win in their last six, presenting Burnley with a priceless opportunity to get back on track.

“You always have to inject belief. That’s not a job that starts and stops with being in a difficult situation or not,” Kompany said.

“It’s easier when you believe yourself and that’s my case. That’s a big part of my job.”

He added: “We’ve got to be able to visualise ourselves and imagine ourselves winning these types of games.

“We’ve got to attach the feeling to this game that, we’re respectful of the opposition and the fact they’re a very good side, but you have to have this ambition in any game you play.

“For us anyway, there’s no other way. That’s what we have to do.

“We’ve learned that the Premier League has no easy games and that will be no different on the weekend.”

On paper at least, the Clarets were meant to be in the midst of an easier run of fixtures, beginning with last week’s trip to Selhurst Park.

But Kompany knows Burnley can’t afford to choose when to turn it on or off given their current predicament.

“We have to look at every game as an opportunity, I don’t think we can be selective,” he added.

“But first things first, there’s a game this weekend and that’s the only one that matters. That’s the only thing I’ve been thinking about.”

Burnley face a Bournemouth side that sit 14th in the table, eight points clear of the dropzone.

The Cherries followed up a slender 1-0 defeat to Manchester City by being knocked out of the FA Cup in midweek by Leicester City.

Burnley were beaten 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium earlier in the campaign.