AITOR KARANKA has hit back at claims there is greater pressure on Middlesbrough to deliver promotion this season from the Burnley camp, by claiming Sean Dyche should have sealed a Premier League return months ago.

The Boro boss stoked the fire ahead of an intriguing battle between the Championship’s top two at Turf Moor tonight after being regularly reminded of what Dyche and Co have had to say at different stages this season.

Clarets’ outspoken midfielder Joey Barton has previously backed his manager’s words, by claiming Boro should be promotion bankers because of the investment of Steve Gibson.

And only yesterday Dyche claimed again that Boro have spent “heavily” even though he tempered what he had to say by suggesting it has also been done “wisely”.

But Karanka thinks Burnley, relegated from the Premier League last season, are wrong to single out the Championship leaders after committing millions themselves on players like Andre Gray, James Tarkowski and Barton.

The Spaniard has been given the go-ahead to make substantial changes to his own squad since last season, having brought in the likes of Stewart Downing, Cristhian Stuani and Jordan Rhodes.

But Karanka said: “We had to spend because I didn’t spend money in the previous two years and even without spending money we reached the play-off final last season.  “Imagine I had a team with ten to 13 players from the Premier League and my chairman sends me Gray, Tarkowski and other players, maybe we would be in the Premier League in February.”

That is why Karanka feels Burnley have just as much pressure – if not more so – on them to secure promotion to the Premier League next month.

He said: “They have spent money but imagine if we were here this season and at the beginning of the season, having been recently relegated with almost the same team, I would have no excuses not to win promotion again.

“We started the season with good players and spent money because the chairman thought now is the right moment. This season we spent money and we are top. I am pleased because the job the players are doing and the job the chairman has done is good. We are giving him back with our work.”

Karanka, who reported he has no fresh injury problems to face Burnley, had a chat with counterpart Dyche when Boro beat them at the Riverside 1-0 in December.  They will renew battle tonight and the head coach insists he does not allow his opposite number’s comments to affect his approach.

Karanka said: “I don’t spend one second thinking about what other people are saying. I am concerned with my team and prepare for games.  "I try to be every day better than I was the previous day so things people say is not a problem for me.

“They need to win or we need to win but they have more pressure because they are the home team and are chasing us. We would like to get three points but if we draw we will still be heading for at least second in the table.”

Last season Boro struggled on a couple of occasions against promotion rivals, whereas this time around they have looked the part in outings against Hull, Brighton and Burnley. Karanka is confident there will be no stage fright at Turf Moor.

He said: “We do not have to be nervous. If we are, we are doing something wrong. We have to think positively about how good we are, we are now confident, the players are on the pitch and I can’t think anything pessimistic because we are in a really good position “We have to think why we are playing in that way rather than the position in the table so I am calmer thinking we are playing really well.”

Middlesbrough have won their last six matches and face a Burnley team unbeaten in 19 games; something will have to give and it could open the door for third placed Brighton to close the gap on the top two.

Karanka said: “Brighton are doing an amazing season. Last season when Chris (Hughton) was here for the last game, he had done an amazing job because when he took the job they struggled so he finished the season really well and now this season they are doing amazing. It is another difficult rival and Burnley is another one.

“My problem is to prepare and be together as we have been in the last few weeks, the crowds, players, everybody. Tomorrow is another three points then we have another important game on Saturday against Ipswich. We have to keep going. I am calmer and more positive than I was last season.”

Boro: Konstantopoulos; Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Leadbitter, Clayton; Adomah, Ramirez, Downing; Nugent.