BURN IT UP
Gareth plans a spoiler
GARETH AINSWORTH is desperate to delay Burnley’s title party today – for more reasons than one.
A win or draw for his QPR side at Turf Moor will give their survival chances a major boost.
And for boss Ainsworth it will mean more as he is a diehard fan of the Clarets’ bitter rivals Blackburn.
If Vincent Kompany’s side win they will be crowned champions, and Ainsworth said: “Being a boy from Blackburn I want to get stuck into them and hopefully spoil their party.
“I know they are a fantastic side but we will giving all we’ve go to spoil that party and get as many points on the board as we can.
“We’re in a relegation fight and fighting for our lives with three games to go to dictate the future of this football club. I want at least three points, maybe nine.
“I’m getting stick and I will take that as long as it is not on the players.
“I have a good squad, a fit squad and we’re getting solid again.”
Ainsworth has had QPR in for extra training and that is showing signs of paying off after a midweek draw against Norwich.
He said: “The lads’ hearts are big and I’m sure they will get the same output at the weekend.
“We’ve been doing afternoon sessions this week and I’ve been told that’s the first time in a long time.
“If that’s what it takes I will carry on doing it – there are no days off.”
After Burnley, QPR travel to Stoke and finish the season at home to Bristol City. Midfielder Sam Field said: “It’s in our hands and that’s all that matters.
“People probably don’t expect us to get anything at Burnley but we will go there with a positive attitude.
“I feel confident we can do it, we just have to dig in.”
But Burnley’s players are equally determined. None more so than Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who is desperate to end his 10-year wait for a winners medal by helping them to the Championship title today.
It that will mean he wins silverware for the first time since helping AZ Alkmaar lift the Dutch Cup in 2013.
He said: “I won the cup in Holland, that was a fantastic day. This is going to be a great day as well.
“Credit to everybody around the club for how everything has clicked together. To be able to celebrate that at Turf Moor is going to be great.
“This will be one of the seasons that I’ll remember forever. Getting promoted is fantastic, but winning the league as well is even more special.
“We just have to make sure we do that. To do it at home would be amazing, but we know we have to go out there and do the job.”