"HAVE no fear" is the message from Clarets linchpin Steve Davis as table-toppers Burnley prepare for one of their toughest tests so far at Bristol City tomorrow.

Eleventh-placed City are unbeaten at home this season and are starting to click into gear under new manager Tony Pulis as they bid to bounce back from relegation at the first attempt.

But Burnley have already stamped their authority on the Second Division and their only defeat in their last 11 away League games was the controversial reverse at Bristol Rovers last month.

Davis said: "City had a sluggish start but they have picked up in recent weeks and they have signed a couple of players.

"They will be a difficult team to beat but the way we are playing we don't fear anyone."

And having captured pole position with last Saturday's win over Colchester, the Clarets are determined not to relinquish that status lightly.

"Now we're at the top we want to stay there," Davis added. "There are little pitfalls that come with it - you are there to be shot at all the time.

"But we'd certainly rather be there than where we were last season so with the confidence the way it is we feel we can go from strength to strength. "It's been a great start. We've managed to carry on from the end of last season when we had a good run-in.

"The manager has brought in a couple of players and they've done well as well and we've managed to continue our good form."

While Andy Payton has scored a clutch of vital goals, Burnley's early-season success has also been down to a watertight defence which has conceded just two goals from open play in the first eight matches.

"We've been pretty solid but we defend as a team and we attack as a team so if we get a clean sheet it 's the whole team that needs praising.

"If we score three then the whole team needs praising as well, although the goalscorer will get a bit more," Davis added.

All that said, Davis and Mitchell Thomas have had key roles to play, and along with Gordon Armstrong as sweeper they have made a formidable defensive unit which will face another searching examination against City's strikeforce, recently boosted by the £500,00 signing of Charlton's Steve Jones.

"We look forward to it every week but they have players who have been around and done a bit," said Davis.

"And if they don't do it then Tony Thorpe's on the bench, who I was with at Luton, and he can score goals, so it will be a tough game."

Burnley boss Stan Ternent will take a 19-man squad to the south-west with Mark Robertson absent due to a thigh strain. The Clarets are likely to be unchanged for the fourth game in a row, with Andy Cooke poised to make his return from injury from the bench.

And it's a game Ternent is clearly relishing.

He said: "Every game we play now the other side wants to beat us because we are top of the league.

"But I'm happy with the squad and I'm happy with the players' attitude.

"If they're not looking forward to it now they never will. Bristol City's a great place to go and there will be a great atmosphere to play in.

"It's got the makings of a good match and there's no reason why we can't get something out of it."

City, whose skipper Shaun Taylor will be playing his 500th League game, will give a debut to new £200,000 signing Paul Holland in midfield following his move from Chesterfield yesterday.

He is likely to start in place of Scott Murray alongside former Charlton man Paul Mortimer.

However, manager Tony Pulis has to decide whether to play Steve Torpey or Italian Lorenzo Pinamonte up front alongside Jones. Burnley from: Crichton, West, Smith, Mellon, Davis, Thomas, Little, Cook, Branch, Payton, Armstrong, Cooke, Jepson, Cowan, Johnrose, Mullin, Lee, Brass, Weller.

Bristol City from: Phillips, Brennan, Lavin, Taylor, Sebok, Mortimer, Torpey, Holland, Goodridge, Jones, Tinnion, Pinamonte, Murray, Thorpe, Bell, Scope (gk).

Stan Ternent is to keep tabs on striker Paul Mullin, the brother of Burnley midfielder John, who played in the Clarets' mid-week friendly at Bolton.

The Burnley boss will monitor Mullin's progress with Unibond League First Division side Radcliffe Borough.

Burnley's youth team are without a game tomorrow.

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