Free-scoring Socceroos midfielder Jackson Irvine doesn't care if he fails to net again this season - so long as struggling Burton Albion stays up in the EFL Championship.

Ahead of Monday's (AEDT) daunting trip to second-placed Brighton, Irvine's tally stands at eight goals in 27 Championship games.

A change of formation from a 3-5-2 to a more defensive minded 4-5-1 has seen Irvine playing deeper as newly promoted club have picked up two wins from three to edge three points clear of the drop zone.

That, and the decision of coach Nigel Clough to reject the chance to return to his spiritual home of Nottingham Forest have the Brewers in revival mode.

"The last couple of games we've changed the system a bit to be a bit more solid and I might not have the chance to break forward as much," Irvine said. "I have been showing the other side of my game which I pride myself on, which is my energy getting around the park and breaking up play and striving forward from the middle rather than scoring goals.

"I am always happy to chip in with goals but right now I am not allowed quite as much as attacking purpose.

"We've begun to look a lot more hard to break down defensively and right now in the position we're in we need to be tiugh to be hard to beat, and take our opportunities when they come."

Clough, who played the bulk of his career at Forest where father Brian was a messiah-like manager, was heavily courted for a City Ground comeback.

Irvine is delighted he's staying on.

"From a personal point of view it's great," he said. "He's the manager who brought me here this season and gave me the freedom and license within the team to enjoy the success I've had so far.

"From the point of view of the club it's also tremendous that he has shown his is just as committed to the cause of staying in the Championship as the players are."

Irvine, Burton's record signing, said the players understood the temptation placed in front of their boss.

"We all know what the Clough name means at Nottingham Forest and we all recognize how tough that decision must have been for him," he said. "But we also know the job we face and if he had moved on it wouldn't have changed the determination we have to stay up."

Clough wasn't the only one targeted, with Irvine an object of some interest during the January transfer window as Burton offered a contract extension as a reward for his stellar contribution.

The terms didn't tempt him though to commit beyond the two and a half years remaining on his current deal.

"The window has come and gone and I wasn't expecting anything to happen," Irvine said. "I am happy with my situation and there's no rush to put pen to paper, especially as I have already committed my long term future here.

"I never let any speculation effect me in any way and my priority is to help us stay up.

"The offer from the club was a reward for my good form.

"We will continue to talk but there's  no rush to get anything done on that side of things."

Burton faces a telling fixture list in the coming weeks with clashes against in-form Norwich, high riding Derby and fellow relegation battler Blackburn and Bristol City.

"We are keeping our heads above water and a couple of other teams are being drawn in, we just need to keep picking up results where we can," Irvine said.