HAVING recently finished a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday, in form Burnley striker David Johnson is expecting a bit of stick from the Bramall Lane fans tomorrow but he insisted: "That doesn't bother me."

The loan star hit his second goal in two starts against Bradford City in midweek and he is now hoping to have done enough to keep his place despite the availability of Gareth Taylor after a two match suspension.

"I know that Gareth is the top scorer here and even though I have got two goals no one has the automatic right to be in the team.

"It is great for the manager that there is competition for places and the fans will be delighted to have Gareth back.

"It is always good to get players back fit or from suspension btu I have just got to keep going and doing my best."

Johnson felt he suffered on Wednesday night because he picked up a knock in the first ten minutes but he still scored one and was denied a penalty as he followed up from his impressive debut the previous Sunday.

But Taylor will be desperate to get straight back in the team for two very good reasons. Firstly, like any footballer, he is keen to have the chance to take on one of his former clubs.

The big striker had three years at Bramall Lane and his previous highest total of goals for a campaign came when he hit a dozen for the Blades five seasons ago.

He is already on 15 for the Clarets in his first full season at Turf Moor and hoping to get closer to the magical 20 mark so prized by strikers. One of his best goals of the season was the opener against Sheffield United in November, a diving header to round off a flowing move.

But the second reason he is desperate to get straight back into the team is because next week he links up with Wales as he looks to kick-start his career.

Sheer weight of goals has helped him to force his way back into manager Mark Hughes's plans and he knows he has to keep scoring to emphasise his claims.

The omens aren't good for Taylor because on the two occasions he has been unavailable for the first team, he has had to settle for a place on the bench on his return, once after international duty and once after his first suspension.

Johnson and Ian Moore have looked like a lively front pairing and his striking formation is just one of a number of key decisions Stan Ternent has to make ahead of the Roses battle.