Matt Lowton feels back-to-back wins have eased the pressure on Burnley ahead of this afternoon’s game with Cardiff.

The Clarets have won both of their matches, against Wolves and Bournemouth, since the international break to build up an eight point gap on the visitors.

A win this afternoon would be all but secure survival for another season, with Cardiff occupying the final relegation place, with Huddersfield and Fulham already confirmed as playing Championship football next season.

Despite feeling the pressure is eased, full back Lowton says the Clarets won’t be underestimating a Cardiff side in desperate need of points.

And Burnley too are targeting as strong an end to the season as possible in a bid to push up the standing.

“I think with the way we’ve done it the last couple of weeks to get the points on the board has definitely eased the pressure going in to the game,” said Lowton who is expected to continue in the team with Phil Bardsley unlikely to feature.

“It’s the next game that counts, it’s another big game for us to get points on the board and if we win and results go our way then we can start moving up to mid table.

“They’re going to come and scrap and fight because they’re in desperate need of the points.

“We’re going to try and play a bit more football this time against them.

“It’s the three points at the end of the day - that’s what the manager is big on - finding a way to win and different ways to affect the opposition.

“Hopefully, we can and get the three points.”

Cardiff face Burnley today, before a midweek game against Brighton which is their game in hand on those sitting above them in the table.

Neil Warnock’s side are five points from safety, but they will face a Burnley side raring to go, according to Lowton.

He added: “You’ve got to be in this league and the position we find ourselves in, we haven’t got time to bed yourselves in for one or two games.

“You’ve got to come in and be fit and do your best for the team.”

Burnley had lost at Newcastle and Liverpool, and at home to Crystal Palace and Leicester, before the international break, but Lowton didn’t feel they were too far away in those games which gave the squad belief they could put together a good run of form.

“Back to back wins is key for anytime of the seasons but to do it now and put a few points between us and the bottom three is massive,” said the 29-year-old who made just a second appearance of 2019 last weekend.

“The lads are always in high spirits in training anyway, but it’s definitely helped recently that we’ve put a few points on the board.”

He added: “We never came in after games and shouted and bawled at each other.

“We weren’t too far away, but ultimately it’s the points that we needed.

“We stuck together, worked hard and managed to turn it around.”