EX-CLARET Marlon Beresford believes Burnley’s glove battle means they will not be a pushover in the Premier League.

Manager Sean Dyche strengthened his goalkeeper ranks with the summer signing of Matt Gilks on a free transfer from Blackpool.

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This week former Accrington Stanley and Oldham Athletic keeper Alex Cisak signed a new two-year deal.

Both are pushing to oust Tom Heaton from the number one spot.

But through Gilks’ previous top flight experience and international honours with Scotland, Beresford feels that will be the keenest contest for the jersey.

Heaton started every Championship game for the Clarets in their promotion season, keeping 19 clean sheets. But for a controversial dismissal at Brighton for two yellow cards, he would have played every minute.

As such he has been picked to start the Premier League campaign and earned his first clean sheet to secure Burnley’s first point in the goalless draw with Manchester United in their last game.

Former goalkeeper Beresford, who had three spells at Turf Moor, is sure that the healthy in-house competition will be a factor in Heaton’s performances, and that is positive for the team.

“Tom had a great season last season and is deserving of his place,” he said.

“Matt came in to provide competition, and you need that. You need it at every level but especially in the Premier League, and it will be good for Tom to keep pushing it.

“They will be good for each other’s games.

“Keepers get on great. There’s rivalry, but you train together and you want to see each other do well, knowing that you have got to work equally as hard so that when the time comes to step in and take the place you can do no problem.”

Beresford admitted that it came as a surprise that Gilks would surrender the number one spot at this stage of his career, having been a key figure at Bloomfield Road.

The 32-year-old turned down new terms at Blackpool to take on the challenge at Turf Moor, and Beresford added: “I’m sure when he knew there was a chance to step back into the Premier League he had no second thoughts about taking the chance.”