ASHLEY Barnes believes strike partner Danny Ings is destined to play for the England senior team after bagging a brace for the Under 21s last week.

Ings scored his first Premier League goal for the Clarets against Everton at the end of October, and last Thursday netted twice for the U21s against Portugal at Turf Moor.

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Barnes partnered Ings up front for the first time this season in the 1-0 win over Hull before the international break, and he is impressed with the quality that the 22-year-old is showing in training, as they get set to resume their partnership at the Britannia Stadium against Stoke today.

“He’s been back in and working hard like he normally does,” Barnes said of his partner after his international heroics.

“You see him scoring goals for fun in training every day.

“He’ll be full of confidence for sure, he’s on fire in training. He’ll be in the (England) squad in the future, there’s no doubt about that because he’s an unbelievable player and it’s good to play alongside him.

CONTINUED: PAGE 47 Barnes was Ings’ third strike partner in as many games, after Lukas Jutkiewicz played against Everton and Marvin Sordell at Arsenal.

With Sam Vokes back training with the first team competition for places up front is set to intensify in the coming weeks.

Ings and Barnes are the only Clarets strikers to have found the back of the net so far this season, but the former Brighton man, who scored the goal that clinched promotion to the Premier League against Wigan on Easter Monday, said all of them were continuing to work hard to increase their output.

“Us strikers get things said about us when we’re not scoring goals, but you’ve just got to take that on the chin and continue to work hard on the training field because it will pay off,” he said.

“There’s a close group of lads all around. There’s a great team spirit and that’s something we want to build on.

“Vokesy’s not far off so that’s another one that’ll be coming in to the pack and fighting for a place.

“Like anyone, if they’re not fit we’ve got to step into their shoes and perform and I think we’ve been doing that.”

While Ings is chasing international recognition with England, Barnes has played once for Austria U20s.

He was born near Bath, but qualifies for the country through his grandmother, and was spotted by Austrian officials while playing for Plymouth Argyle on a pre-season tour there in 2008.

He made his only appearance against Switzerland in August of that year, but hasn’t ruled out representing Austria in the future, if he is called up to their squad.

“I don’t really think about it, if it comes it comes,” he said.

“I’m just trying to concentrate on my work here and anything like that is a bonus. You never know.”