Burton Albion will be relying on some of their standout players to really step up and steer the club to safety by the end of next season.

The relative minnows seem to be widely tipped for the drop and there are doubts over whether Burton are equipped to cope with their meteoric rise to England's second tier.

The Brewers are historically recognised as a non-league club with success to this extent only coming very recently. The Championship is uncharted territory for Albion and there are very few players in their squad who have ever played at this level. The odds are comprehensively stacked against them but survival is far from impossible and have an experienced manager in Nigel Clough, who has already started recruiting wisely.

Burton rely on a tight-knit squad of players as they have a very limited budget for this level. Therefore they need their best players to be regularly performing at a high level to carry them away from the relegation zone.

Here are the THREE players whose influence will dictate whether Burton stay up or not...

Jon McLaughlin

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Burton's goalkeeper is likely to be subjected to a bombarding barrage of shots each game so they need him to be on top form to shut out as much as he can.

The 28-year-old was one of the best goalkeepers in League One last season with commanding displays from his goal. His handling and ability to come out and claim crosses make him a useful stopper to have in your side. The Scotsman has played 90 games for the Brewers since his move from Bradford in 2014.

McLaughlin should retain the number one spot between the sticks for Burton and can expect a busy year with fans relying on him more than ever.

Ben Turner

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The signing of Ben Turner could go one of two ways. His injury problems have hampered his career in recent times and restricted him to very limited game time. But Burton fans will be hoping that he can stay fit because he is a fantastic defender when fit.

The 6'4'' 28-year-old is a powerhouse in the air and a genuine threat from set pieces. But his tackling is also impressive. The former England under 19 international has spent the majority of his career at Coventry and Cardiff but has opted to join the Brewers this summer on a free.

If Turner stays fit, then he should form a solid defensive partnership with John Mousinho which will be difficult to penetrate.

Stuart Beavon

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Burton need goals and Beavon knows where the net is. The 32-year-old journeyman has plenty of experience and has lead the line impressively for Burton in the last two seasons.

He is not a striker who will notch 20 goals a season but his work rate up front and his ability to create chances for team mates makes him an important and influential part of this team who will need him to perform more than ever.

Beavon enjoys running the channels and linking play so if Burton can get themselves a goalscorer to play off his shoulder then they have a good chance of scoring the goals which will steer them to safety.