MARLON Beresford was in goal for Burnley against Coventry City this afternoon and his contract saga could at last be settled in the next few days.

Beresford returned to Turf Moor at the start of September and his second month long deal had to be extended to allow him to play against both Spurs and the Sky Blues.

Manager Stan Ternent explained before today's game: "It should be sorted out next week because the chairman has been away in the States for the past week.

"We have made him an offer and we hope that everything will be settled."

The 33-year-old also wants to have the deal sorted out and the intention is to have a deal that would stretch until the end of next season, a similar length of contract to the one signed by the manager a week ago.

He said: "I am hopeful it will finally be done once the chairman comes back from his trip."

Barry Kilby has sorted out deals for Ternent, his assistant Sam Ellis and full back Dean West in recent weeks and Beresford is the last one that he wants to sort out.

Meanwhile Ternent said: "I spoke to the chairman straight after the game against Spurs and he was obviously very happy. Mind you, if you can't be happy after a result like that you never will be."

Meanwhile, skipper Steve Davis was hoping for a lucrative draw in the last 16 of the Worthington Cup.

After Wednesday night's famous success over Premiership outdit Tottenham at Turf Moor, Davis was eager for another top flight success when the draw was made at lunchtime.

"We would like to have a go at another top team at home, or we would take Manchester United away," smiled Davis.

"Whatever we would like the outcome to obviously help the club, and such as Manchester United would help on the financial front.

"But we will just have to see what happens.

"There are a lot of strong sides who have already gone out of the competition and that it has left a lot of first division clubs, plus Oldham and Wigan from the second diviison.

"All of them will be fancying their chances of going further and, given the right draws and a bit of luck, we will just have to see how far we can go."