Scott Parker says his Burnley side must be “relentless” as they aim to keep improving and climbing up the Championship table.

The Clarets have racked up three successive wins and are up to third place, only a couple of points behind Leeds and Sheffield United, as they prepare to head to Stoke on Saturday.

Parker knows there will be plenty more highs and lows throughout the season but insists that the mindset must remain consistent.

“The constant message to this team is that we need to be relentless in everything we do,” he told The Lancashire Telegraph.

“If you lose a game on a Saturday, which can happen, we need to be relentless come Monday morning to improve.

“If you win a game, it is still the same message – how can we improve more? Like I have said many times, this group are a relentless group.

“They are relentless in adversity and when things have not gone quite right, they have shown a side of wanting to improve and get better. On the flip side, there is a balance when things are going in the right direction.

“That is where we are now and we fully understand, there are still a lot of layers and levels to go. We need to maintain that with pure hard work and keep moving in the right direction.”

Parker made a couple of changes against Coventry in midweek, with Josh Laurent and Jeremy Sarmiento coming into the side.

The head coach hopes to keep finding the right balance between maintaining consistency and keeping bodies fresh heading towards the busy December period, although he admits that it can be challenging.

“It’s definitely a balancing act, coming off the back of good performances and getting some consistency with how we are playing,” he added.

“There is definitely a balance there because at the same time - the demands of this division and professional sport – it is probably unrealistic that players can keep churning out (results) time after time.

“It is my job, that is why I am here. I have to make those decisions to win the game and also keep us fresh for high intensity.

“We are a team with big intensity and demands, and it is down to me to make sure I am picking the players who can execute and get us the three points while also maintaining our level of performance.”