JUST what is it about Burnley and sides in this division with a recent Premiership history? Saturday's 2-0 success saw the Clarets complete the double over Derby County.

In their previous league game at Highfield Road, they did the same to Coventry City.

When promotion-chasing Leicester City roll into town in a few weeks time they cannot say they haven't been warned.

Not that Derby offered much in the way of resistance.

In effect, the game was won by half time after both Ian Moore and Gareth Taylor had profited from some comic cuts defending by the visitors.

Not that the Rams cause was helped much by Fabrizio Ravanelli making his first start in six months.

More "White Flag" than "White Feather", he could scarcely have looked less interested.

And while a poor quality second half may have seen County enjoy the lion's share of possession, they created very little in the way of clear-cut scoring opportunities -- not that they got much change from Burnley's backline.

Or as John Gregory put it: "Burnley showed us how to defend. Their centre-halves were outstanding and they have a lot to thank them for."

His assessment was pretty much spot-on. The pairing of Ian Cox and Drissa Diallo is certainly working well for the Clarets at the moment.

Both players are strong, pacy and crucially, they are not afraid to put their heads in where it hurts whenever necessary.

In the league they have kept consecutive clean sheets against Coventry and Derby, and it took a top-drawer effort from Steed Malbranque to breach them in the FA Cup. More of that same steely resolve will be required tomorrow evening, as Jean Tigana's expensively assembled squad pitch up at Turf Moor.

Post-match on Saturday, Ternent dropped a strong hint that the same 11 who disposed of Derby will be on duty for the clash with the Cottagers.

Given our recent defensive tightness (not a phrase that could have been written a few weeks ago), a policy of containment appears to be on the cards.

It may be that Burnley's best chances of progressing to the quarter-finals may start on the substitutes bench.

In Blake, Papadopoulos and (fitness permitting) Glen Little, Burnley have a trio of potential match-winners. Given their lack of match action lately, they also have the added bonus of being relatively unknown to the Fulham scouts.

Add all that to the fact that many of the Cottagers' stars played in the physically demanding Premiership clash with Tottenham last night, and who knows? It might just be Burnley's night.

It would be remiss of me to close this week's column without reference to my fellow 'scribe'.

Last week, young Simon eagerly and with almost tedious predictability, took the bait I had laid seven days previously (will somebody please let him in on the gag), and got himself terribly worked up after I had wound up the Rovers fan -- a ruse which obviously had the desired effect.

Warming to his theme, he chided me for devoting a third of my article to talk about Blackburn.

He did this by using a third of his article to write about Burnley. I shall allow you to draw your own conclusions.