Striker hails squad's strong start

The striker’s dramatic winner against Crystal Palace at Turf Moor ensured Sean Dyche’s side went in to the international break in the top half of the table having accumulated 14 points from 11 games.

“That speaks volumes,” said Barnes. “It’s different class this time around. We just need to keep nicking these points along the way and see where that can take us.

“It’s a tough league, we’re in the best league in the world, and we knew we were going to be up against it.

“For us, as a group of lads in there, we believe and we won’t stop believing that we deserve to stay in this league.”

The former Brighton and Hove Albion forward, who netted his first goal in 21 months versus the Eagles after being plagued by injury, became the eighth player to score for Burnley in the top flight this term.

Leading scorer Sam Vokes has four goals while Andre Gray, Scott Arfield, Steven Defour, Jeff Hendrick, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Michael Keane have also pencilled their names on to the scoresheet.

Speaking about Welshman Vokes, who was sidelined for the majority of the last season in the Premier League having sustained a serious knee injury, Barnes said: “He’s been doing fantastic.

“He’s been in the right place at the right time and that’s all you can ask of a player when they’re up there on their own.

“It can be difficult but he’s taken to the job very well. He’s having a great time and long may that continue.”

The Clarets narrowly missed out on survival during the 2014/15 campaign despite failing to register victory in their first 10 outings.

So far they have accrued double the amount of points that they had at this stage that season and Barnes feels that past experienced has helped.

The 27-year-old, who scored five goals that term, said: “It’s definitely helped. The gaffer has added to the squad that we already had here.

“Obviously we lost a couple but he brought some in last year and at the start of this year and it’s taken off again.

“You can see by the bench with how attacking it is. You could see the options with Andre and Kightly who didn’t get on as well.

“The gaffer has got so many options now and we’ve got a great squad. We’re fighting for each other.”