BURNLEY manager Brian Laws says he will keep his players guessing about his line-up for Bristol City – to stop the Robins pecking at their 100 per cent home record.

Many would expect the Clarets to be unchanged after bossing their Carling Cup win over Bolton Wanderers.

But Laws says he won’t be scared to tweak his team, to keep the Turf Moor fear factor strong.

“We want teams to come here and fear the fact it’s going to be a tough night or a tough afternoon,” said the Burnley boss.

“While it was a fantastic performance and a great win on Tuesday night – a great boost for the team and the players – there’s a game at hand that I see as more important than the Bolton game.

“The league is key for us this year and it’s a case of making sure the players are firmly focused on this next game.

“I know Bristol City had us watched and I’ve seen some clips of their manager talking about doing their homework on us. So while I’m mindful that we’ve had a really good game on Tuesday, I’m mindful that they’ll try to snuff out the good parts of our game.

“I’m almost tempted to change. People might wonder why I’m even thinking about it but you’ve got to stay sharp and realise that while you show your hand in one game the opposition might not give us the freedom to play that way, so we might have to change again.

“I’m mindful of that and I am prepared to make changes if necessary.

“Everyone will have been down at the training ground (on Friday) waiting for me pick the team. I might just leave it a little bit longer and tell them on the day.”

Top scorer Chris Iwelumo certainly hopes his name is read out, despite still being hampered by a hamstring injury he sustained at Swansea a month ago.

But the Scot, who has been an ever present in the league so far, admitted it is the threat of competition from the likes of Steven Thompson, Martin Paterson and Jay Rodriguez that makes him even more determined to play through the pain barrier.

“The competition for places is fierce. If I can stay in and do my job then I want to stay in,” said the former Wolves targetman, who spent a month on loan at Bristol City last season after struggling to stake a claim in Mick McCarthy’s plans.

“I feel that I can’t sprint at the minute. I don’t know if it’s coming from my head or not. It’s just one of those things that I need to get myself through.

“You don’t want to really give anyone chances to come in and make a name for themselves.

“Everyone wants to play, and I’m no different.”

But Iwelumo admitted the internal rivalry for places wasn’t detrimental to the team spirit.

“We’ve all been in that kind of dark place where you don’t want the team to do well so that you can get your chance to be in the side.

“There’s no-one like that here.

“It’s a great bunch. Everyone wants the team to win. We’re in it together, we’re all aiming for the same thing and we’re going along nicely at the minute. Long may it continue.”