Burnley captain Kyle Walker has admitted he is desperate for victory against Derby County this Saturday, as the struggling Championship side look to end a winless run stretching back more than seven months.
The Clarets sit bottom of the Championship table and have yet to secure a win inside 90 minutes this season, extending a barren streak that dates back to 11 February. That run now spans 22 matches, including 13 consecutive games without a win at the end of last season, which culminated in Burnley's relegation from the Premier League.
Walker, who arrived at Turf Moor in July 2025 after a glittering career at Manchester City that included 17 trophies and a place in the club's historic 2023 Treble-winning squad, has featured in six Championship matches this term. Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, the England international did not hide the depth of his frustration with Burnley's current predicament.
"I'm desperate," Walker said. "I've never wanted a victory so much because there's a lot of noise."
The 35-year-old defender was candid about his own limitations as a player while emphasizing the values he believes can help turn Burnley's fortunes around. "Am I the most talented player? Definitely not. I played with many more talented players than me but what I pride myself on is working hard and proving people wrong," he explained. He added that he hopes his teammates will draw inspiration from his commitment to the cause, saying he wants to prove he is "not laying down" and is "willing to fight all the way to the very end."
Walker's move to Burnley followed a breakdown in his relationship with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, which saw him spend time on loan at AC Milan before returning to English football ahead of Burnley's since-ended Premier League campaign. Reflecting on the stark contrast between the winning culture he experienced at City and the current struggles at Turf Moor, Walker described the adjustment as a difficult one.
"I've probably not experienced this ever. It's a different dressing room to what I was in at City where everyone kind of marshalled themselves," he said. He explained that at City, players held themselves to such high standards that man-management was rarely necessary, crediting both the squad's inherent quality and Guardiola's influence for the club's sustained success. "I think even if Pep wasn't there we would have gone on and achieved a lot of things as well because we had a great team and a great togetherness within that," Walker noted, while insisting that camaraderie remains strong within the current Burnley squad.
Saturday's clash with Derby, kicking off at 15:00 BST, takes on added significance as the final fixture before an extended international break covering September and October. Walker acknowledged mixed feelings about the timing of the hiatus, which could either serve as momentum going into the break with a win or as a chance to regroup following another difficult result.
"It's a bit weird for me because I've never experienced this in my career where I'm saying that I want this international break to come, good or bad," he admitted. Despite the uncertainty, Walker was clear about what matters most heading into the weekend. "We're not here to beat around the bush, we're here to talk face to face and man up on it and we need a win, that's the be all and end all of it," he said.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.