A RUN of six points from eight games might be anything but promotion form but nothing has swayed Burnley boss Stan Ternent from his belief that his side will be in at the shake up.

"We'll be up there, I can feel it in my bones," he promised ahead of tomorrow afternoon's clash with Sheffield United.

"We have played nine away and seven at home and we are not doing too badly. We have got three home games now and we must try and make the most of them."

Visits by Portsmouth and Watford will follow the Blades trip across the Pennines and Ternent is hoping his side can continue where they left off against Gillingham on Tuesday night.

"I thought the players responded particularly well in very trying circumstances and even when we were 2-0 down I thought we were the better team," he said. "We need a few wins but we are a third of the way through the season and we are still in a good position."

Ternent admitted he was delighted to have seen Glen Little come through the full 90 minutes against Gillingham without any problems and he said: "He also had the best part of the game against Wolves because I brought him on early.

"I though he played very well and took his penalty well. When you lose a key player it makes it difficult but that is what a squad is for.

"Obviously some players are more difficult to replace than others.

"Mooro (Alan Moore) is getting closer and Graham Branch played a full game for the reserves in midweek so I hope we can kick on from here."

Tomorrow's clash is the first between the Clarets and the Blades since the "cheating" row that erupted at the end of last season.

Furious Burnley boss Stan Ternent blasted Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock after the 2-0 defeat that finally ended the club's play-off hopes in the penultimate game of the campaign.

He accused the Blades boss of sending a member of staff to listen outside the dressing room door during the half time team talk.

It is unlikely the two men will be sending each other Christmas cards and the memories of last season will add a little spice to the occasion.

"Sheffield United is always a tough game but I keep repeating myself, they are all tough games," he said.

"Last season was disappointing because if we had won the game we would have got into the play-offs. They got a penalty and a goal right at the end of the game. But this will be a Lancashire versus Yorkshire battle, they are not too far down the road, and there should be a good crowd and a good atmosphere. We have everything to play for.

"It is going to be tight but it is going to be tight all the way through the season. It is just going to be a question of who has got the courage to go for it. I think we have played well in most games, last week against Wolves apart."

The Clarets have started slowly in a number of matches this season and Ternent will be hoping they are out of the blocks quicker tomorrow.

And if they can blunt the Blades and keep a second successive clean sheet at home it would be the perfect start to a crucial month of action.