Kyle Walker has admitted he has "never wanted a victory so much" as Saturday's Championship clash against Derby County, with Burnley rooted to the foot of the table and carrying a winless run that stretches back 22 matches.

The Clarets have not won a game inside 90 minutes since 11 February — a sequence that includes 13 winless outings at the end of last season, when Burnley were relegated from the Premier League, and all nine Championship fixtures so far this term.

From trophies to turmoil

The contrast with Walker's recent past could hardly be starker. The defender arrived at Turf Moor in July 2025 after winning 17 trophies with Manchester City, including the historic Treble of 2023 under manager Pep Guardiola. Now, in his sixth Championship appearance for Burnley, he finds himself scrapping at the wrong end of the second tier.

Walker spoke candidly to BBC Radio Lancashire about the emotional weight of the situation. "I'm desperate," he said. "I've never wanted a victory so much because there's a lot of noise."

He was quick to acknowledge his own limitations while stressing his determination. "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."

A different dressing room

Walker described the shift in environment from the relentless standards of the Etihad Stadium to the current struggles at Turf Moor as the toughest transition of his career. "I've probably not experienced this ever," he said. "It's a different dressing room to what I was in at City, where everyone kind of marshalled themselves. You didn't have to rile people up to get a game of football out of them."

He was careful not to criticise Burnley's squad, insisting the togetherness within the group is genuine — but conceded that the self-driven standards he was accustomed to at Manchester City set a unique benchmark. "I think that's why they're at Manchester City and why Manchester City were so successful," he added.

Walker's path to Burnley was not straightforward. After his relationship with Guardiola deteriorated at Manchester City, he spent time on loan at AC Milan before returning to England ahead of Burnley's Premier League campaign last season.

One eye on the break

Saturday's fixture against Derby (15:00 BST) doubles as the final game before an extended international break, leaving Burnley without a match for three weeks. Walker acknowledged the break presents a dual edge — an opportunity to build momentum with a win, or a reset button if they fall short again.

"You win on Saturday and you want to keep going, don't you?" he said. "You're losing, you're kind of thinking, thank God the international break's coming — you can go back to the drawing board and start again."

He left no doubt about what matters most heading into the weekend. "We need a win. That's the be all and end all of it."