Burnley signing Erik Pieters says that he is ready to compete for a starting spot at the club.

The left-back arrived from Stoke City in the summer and played in the 3-0 win over Southampton at the weekend.

He is aware that Charlie Taylor is first choice when he is fit, but Pieters is prepared to do whatever it takes to stake his claim for a starting spot.

"We all had a good pre-season so I think it was difficult for the manager to pick his first 11," said the 31-year-old to reporters.

"We've got a great team, it's a great group of lads, so we've got to do it altogether. We'll need everyone during the season.

"I'm not coming here to sit on the bench, but I know Charlie [Taylor] had a really good season last year. I'm looking forward to going on and battling it out with him for the position.

"It was a great debut, the weather wasn't that nice, but I remember two years ago, when I played with Stoke, it was a night game and it was the same.

"It was raining, cold, windy as well. It wasn't the best weather, but it was a good game.

"It was quite hard because when they're playing the long ball the wind takes over. In both halves the ball changed direction when you're trying to head it.

"It went completely the other way, but you have to deal with it and I think we did that better in the second half.

"We tried to switch the game from right to left and left to right, but it was quite hard in the first half because they had loads of energy.

"They backed down a little bit in the second half and the space appeared.

"We changed our game to get the ball in behind, to stretch them a little more, and then the space came in midfield. I think we played really well in the second half."