Duff fills void

The defender has been on the bench for the previous two Burnley games but is set to be drafted in to make up for John McGreal's absence against Sheffield United.

McGreal serves a suspension after being sent off against Wolves on Tuesday, when he received two yellow cards in the 2-0 defeat.

Although Duff is available to fill the gap, Cotterill admitted that the Northern Ireland international has been suffering more than most with the recent punishing schedule of six games in 18 days.

"Michael needed a bit of a rest because he's been looking tired and jaded," said Cotterill.

"He isn't perhaps seasoned at this level like the other lads, it's been a big jump for him and a big learning curve.

"You have to take into consideration the preparation for games and a month of Tuesday and Saturday games, it makes it very tough for the players.

"So we felt as though he needed a bit of a break and he's had that now so will come back into it."

Burnley go from one extreme to the other following tomorrow's game at Bramall Lane when they have a two-week spell without a game.

The last time this happened in October, Cotterill was critical of the imbalance of the fixture list, but is more welcoming this time.

He added: "There's going to be a two-week break and there's nothing we can do about it.

"But we need this one more than we needed the last one."

The return of Peter Whittingham to Aston Villa after his month-long loan spell leaves Cotterill another player down tomorrow.

And with Tony Grant struggling to shake off the groin strain he picked up in the defeat at Molineaux, the Clarets midfield could be stretched to the limit.

But the shortage of players is unlikely to persuade Cotterill to sort out further loan signings to guide his squad through safely to the end of the season.

"I don't know whether we will be getting anyone else in," he said. "After the weekend we've got eight games left and apart from one re-arranged, it's Saturdays all the way so we might have to try and just get by.

"I'd rather have somebody in there permanently rather than another loan because all we've done this season is plug holes.

"Every time we get a hole we plug another so I'd rather have permanent signings. But that's quite probably something for the summer now."