THE Clarets are leading the way among the Premier League’s newly promoted sides, but Robbie Blake is backing them all to live to tell another top flight tale next season.

Tomorrow’s visitors Birmingham, Championship title holders Wolves and play-off winners Burnley are currently bucking the theory that those who come up, must invariably come down after a season-long struggle in the bottom three.

Wolves and Blake’s old boys sit three points outside the drop zone with seven points from seven games, while the Clarets are in the loftier position of 11th thanks to their Turf Moor fortress.

Their current standings, combined with the Clarets’ unblemished home record, perhaps make Burnley favourites in a Premier League fixture for the first time this season.

But front man Blake believes that is something to be embraced, not feared.

“I don’t think we’re too worried about that. It’s better to have expectations of winning games instead of people thinking we might be able to nick a point or lose a game,” said the 33-year-old.

“It’s nice that people on the outside might fancy us. Because we’re above them in the league we’re expected to beat them, but certainly as a group of players we’re not too bothered about having this pressure of playing Birmingham at home. We’re just going to go out and play the same way, and if we do that we can certainly win the game.

“If you look at the three teams that have come up, we’re sat relatively mid-table, and I think that’s going to be the case.

“I think there are six or seven teams who are going to be up and gone and I think after that there’s another mini-league of teams; we seem to be in that mix at the moment and hopefully that can continue.

“Obviously we need to improve our away form but if you win two thirds of your home games then you’ll stay in this division. As long as we do well at home and pick the odd point up away we’ll be happy with that.”

But even though Manchester United are the only team to take points from White Hart Lane, last weekend’s heavy loss at Spurs still smarts.

“It wasn’t so much a wake-up call. Obviously it was disappointing how we lost the game, but if Fletcher’s goal stands, we might go on to lose the game but we certainly won't lose it 5-0,” Blake continued.

“I can’t believe the linesman gave it offside because he was a good yard onside. At 1-1 we’re certainly in the game.”

Burnley fully intend to move on quickly and, after just six months at St Andrew’s in 2005, so too has Blake – returning to Turf Moor, and the Premier League, via Leeds.

“I was involved in every game but didn't start as many as I would have wanted to at Birmingham,” said the Middlesbrough-born forward of his first taste of the top division.

“I think that happens to a number of footballers – they don’t get the chances or the breaks at another club and you move on.

“I don’t have any memories as such. Scoring on my debut was nice, and I was involved in every game. Steve Bruce was sound with me; there were no problems. He told me he wanted to bring players in and that was how it was.

“I made the decision to go to Leeds and luckily now I’m back here in the Premier League and doing okay.

“Birmingham, for how good the fans were with me, that’s behind me now and I’m just looking forward to hopefully staying in this team at Burnley and doing well against my old club tomorrow.”