"He told me" - Burnley FC: James Trafford reacts to Scott Parker "world-class" claim | OneFootball

Trafford has been key to the Clarets' promotion bid this season.

Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford admitted that he already knew Scott Parker's verdict on his exploits after he was dubbed "world-class" by the Clarets boss after a crucial 2-1 success at Watford on Good Friday.

Parker's men were trailing 1-0 at Vicarage Road as Mamadou Doumbia netted after eight minutes - just the 14th time Burnley have conceded this season - before turning the tide through goals from the club's two leading lights on the goalscoring front in Zian Flemming and Josh Brownhill.

Moments before the Dane's equaliser, Trafford was on hand to keep the deficit at one as he pulled off a stunning save, tipping a powerful Edo Kayembe effort which was bound for the top-right-hand corner onto the crossbar with his fingertips, in what could prove to be yet another season-defining moment for the East Lancashire side.

Victory in Hertfordshire also made it 30 Championship games unbeaten for the side who currently sit second, with an immediate return to the Premier League on the cards if they defeat nearest challengers, Sheffield United, at Turf Moor on Easter Monday.

However, the importance of Trafford's presence between the sticks was one of the main talking points post-match, despite the fact Watford had also been reduced to nine men after Moussa Sissoko and Kayembe were dismissed in the second period.

James Trafford reacts after Scott Parker makes "world class" admission post-Watford

The 22-year-old has been one of the individual stories of the Championship season, keeping a total of 28 clean sheets in 42 appearances, as well as a record-breaking run of 12 successive shutouts and 1,132 minutes without conceding between late December and early March.

Speaking to ITV Football post-match, Parker was once again singing the Player of the Season nominee's praises, referencing his standout save in the dying embers of the first period.

"Incredible save," he stated. "The best save, and I mean, you can half put it down to an 'assist', really, because from that we then go and score.

"Big moment. Big moment for him. The sign of a top, top, world-class goalkeeper, really," the Clarets boss added.

"At times, even in the second half when he's pretty redundant, he has to come up with big saves in big moments, collect balls from crosses.

"You're seeing someone who, for the majority of the season, has been top-drawer for us."

When told about his boss' admission, Trafford wasn't shy to admit he was already aware of such claims, responding: "I know I'm a world-class goalkeeper."

"The gaffer's class and he told me that last Saturday, he knows he told me last Saturday," Trafford explained.

"The gaffer's brilliant. It's a brilliant win for him, the way he set us up and the messages he delivered us at half-time. Only we know what he said to us at half-time, and it came exactly true what happened.

When asked what Parker's message was, the England international concluded: "Look at the second-half and that's what he told us was going to happen!"

Watford flashpoint further highlights Premier League interest in James Trafford

Trafford has come up with plenty of high-quality moments for Burnley this season after finding it tough in the Premier League last term following a £15m move from Manchester City.

However, a return to top form in the EFL after previously excelling with Bolton Wanderers in two loan spells only proves why Newcastle United hold such a strong interest in his services amid a £30m valuation heading into the summer.

If his side are to achieve an immediate return to the Premier League in the coming days, as they currently hold a five-point buffer over Chris Wilder's outfit, they will no doubt look back at his fingertip save at Vicarage Road as well as his penalty-saving heroics against Sunderland's Wilson Isidor in January as key flashpoints.