SEAN Dyche expects to find out exactly how long Michael Duff will be on the sidelines in the next couple of days – but hopes Ross Wallace and Junior Stanislas will both be available for Burnley’s next match, whenever that turns out to be.

The Clarets suffered a 2-1 loss at Bolton on Saturday, and do not know if they will be able to return to action on Saturday.

Burnley are set to host Huddersfield in the league but the game will be postponed if the Terriers win their FA Cup fourth round replay at Leicester tomorrow night .

The Clarets entertain play-off rivals Middlesbrough on Tuesday, February 19 – a match that will definitely go ahead.

Duff is unlikely to be available for either game because of a calf injury and the defender will undergo a scan today.

Dyche, however, is more hopeful about the fitness of Wallace and Stanislas, who were forced off with respective knee and groin injuries during the loss at Bolton.

“Ross, we’re hoping, is nothing serious. He has just had a little tiny tweak on his knee,” said the Clarets boss.

“Junior’s groin was tight so we had to get him off. We’ve had a few injuries so we wanted to make sure we got them off sharpish.

“We’ll find out more about Michael on Monday from a scan but he might be a few weeks, or certainly a couple. We’ll see how it settles down.

“He’s been an important player for us and has done very well.”

With the loan window open again, Dyche will keep an eye on the market but finances may make any move unlikely for the time being.

The manager has faith in the squad he has at his disposal and David Edgar scored at Bolton after replacing Duff in the centre of defence.

“To lose Michael is a blow to us,” he said. “But we feel that the squad is important and it’s time for people to stand up and be a part of that.”

Asked if he is monitoring the loan market, Dyche added: “Of course, but it’s finding how it fits with the club’s finances and the model going forward, and the appropriate player of course.

“The figures are quite large for some of the players you’re going for.”

The Clarets remain only four points behind the play-off spots but dropped to ninth on Saturday after being unable to hang on to a lead away from home for the second week in succession – drawing 2-2 at Peterborough seven days earlier.

And Dyche admitted his frustration that his side are so close to achieving success this season, but have failed to win their last three games.

“It’s just a frustrating one because we feel we’re on the edge of something here and the performances are suggesting that,” he added.

“But it’s just turning that screw a little bit harder.

“I’m frustrated with it and the players are. We’ve got an honesty to the group and there’s a work ethic now that is quite obvious.

“But it’s just that bit of game know-how as a group and a team, we’re learning that as well.

“I was really pleased with the way the players were going about their business when we scored, it was just that little spell afterwards.

“I spoke to the players afterwards, it’s a saying, ‘Be the man who makes the difference’.

“We were just looking at each other, who’s going to deal with the ball, who’s going to keep the ball. I said to the lads there’s a bravery within that.

“Their first goal was the first time we really lost our organisation for 20 seconds and that can be the difference.

“If we mean business, which we do, the team have to find that killer edge on how to control games and how to kill games off.

“That mentality is building and it’s nearly where I want it.

“But it needs to keep building and get stronger and tougher, and show the different ways of winning games.”