Mee hails feel-good factor as Burnley battle to avoid relegation

Burnley defender Ben Mee has hailed the feel-good factor at Turf Moor as the Clarets bid to stave off relegation.

Sean Dyche’s side headed into the Christmas period on the back of a dreadful run of results, and a drop down to the Championship growing ever more realistic.

But Burnley have started to turn their form around and were only denied a fourth consecutive Premier League win at Watford on Saturday when Chris Wood’s injury-time strike was controversially scrubbed out for offside.

Burnley now face the daunting prospect of back-to-back trips, first to Manchester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup, and then on to Old Trafford to face the in-form Manchester United.

But Mee reckons the club, now three points clear of danger, are on track for survival.

“We’ve got some big games coming up and there’s a lot of confidence around the place,” said Mee.

“We are moving really well in the right direction. We keep picking up points and keep moving up the table.

“It’s positive. We are five unbeaten now and we want to carry that on. There’s a good feeling and it’s been really good the last couple of weeks.

“If that goal gets given on-side, we’re flying. But it’s a pleasing point and a clean sheet and we move forward to next weekend against City in the FA Cup and then we have a big game against United.”

Like Burnley, Watford are also unbeaten since Boxing Day, but they will have been disappointed with their rather limp display against the Clarets.

Javi Gracia will on Monday celebrate one year in charge at Vicarage Road, something of a rarity for managers during the Pozzo era.

And the Spaniard, although frustrated that Watford failed to take all three points, was keen to take the positives from the stalemate.

“We can play better collectively, I am sure of that,” he said.

“But there are many positives to take. The team defended very well, were very concentrated, they had to be very demanding and very disciplined.

“I remember last season when we were winning 1-0 [against Burnley at Vicarage Road] and then following two long balls from free-kicks at the end we lost.

“I’m a little bit disappointed as we wanted to get a win, but when you can’t win, it is good to get a point. I am happy with the result.”