Vincent Kompany insists Burnley WILL turn things around as they gear up for crunch bottom-of-the-table clash against Sheffield United

An unwavering Vincent Kompany is convinced that Burnley will turn the tide as they gear up for a make-or-break showdown with Sheffield United on Saturday.

The gut-wrenching defeat by West Ham United last weekend was their sixth consecutive reverse in the Premier League on a difficult return to the top flight.

Kompany admitted that the run of results – Burnley losing 11 of their 13 matches so far, and all of seven at Turf Moor – has been a tough learning curve for his youthful side but backed them to show resolve and beat the drop.

'If ever there is a story to be written about this club in the future then it's how different it behaves in moments like this,' the 37-year-old said.

'I don't think I've ever encountered anything like it. It's too early to get emotional about it all but there is a total focus. People are calm, together, supporting each other. We can do it as a group.

'I see behind the scenes a total dedication, the work rate. It gives me the feeling that this is a place where things will turn. But it's got to happen on the pitch.'

Sheffield United have only picked up one more point than Burnley's four so far and head to east Lancashire after a chastening home defeat by Bournemouth.

While Paul Heckingbottom's future has been consistently questioned, Kompany's job is safe, with celebrity shareholder J.J. Watt saying this week that the Belgian is going nowhere.

'It's always better than hearing the opposite of that,' Kompany said. 'The lines of communication are open enough for me to have conversations that are always very transparent.

'The frustration is definitely there. We've all experienced it. The first thing we wanted after West Ham was a game back at Turf Moor as quickly as we could. It can't come quick enough.

'The truth is we've done really well in terms of performances but that is not enough. That is the missing link, one that we want to close on Saturday.'

Kompany added: 'In this job you get tested in terms of the things you preach. If you preach resilience and mental discipline – all these things – then you get confronted with that by runs like this.

'Emotionally, after the game, I'm like everyone else for 24-48 hours. It's not great. But in the end you're in this job because you love everything that comes with it and you've got to lead.'