INJURY and illness are threatening to further ravage Owen Coyle’s squad, but the Burnley manager is remaining upbeat ahead of tomo-rrow’s visit of Norwich City.

Goal hero Robbie Blake was one of two players sent home before training yesterday, after picking up the bug which ruled Michael Duff out of Tuesday night’s win over Reading, while Graham Alexander was the only defender involved in the session.

Christian Kalvenes is a major doubt after damaging his thigh and ankle in midweek, Clarke Carlisle will be carefully monitored after failing a late fitness test before the game, and captain Steven Caldwell is still feeling the after-effects of a hip injury which prompted his early exit at Charlton last weekend.

Limited funds mean Coyle is not optimistic about being able to immediately strengthen his squad in the loan market, but he insists he has confidence in the ability of the players who are at his disposal to maintain their formidable home form.

“We’re not wanting to be drama queens or anything but out of the back lads that played the other night, then Graham Alexander will be the only one who’ll train. And I include Clarke Carlisle and Michael Duff in that as well,” revealed the Burnley boss.

“Christian Kalvenes will have little or no chance of being involved (tomorrow), and Steven Caldwell took another bang.

“He wasn’t quite 100 per cent the other night but he played, such was his desire and being a real captain that he wanted to be out there, and all credit to him.

“Michael Duff was vomiting all night on Monday - he came in on Tuesday but I think a ladybird could have pushed him over he was so weak. So we felt obviously that he couldn’t play the game.

“A couple of boys have had it from there so we sent a couple home (yesterday) and we’ll see what happens tomorrow.

“Robbie’s one, but I don’t really want to be revealing who’s going to be struggling for the game - but suffice to say there’s a couple sent home because here’s no point in them being in amongst the lads and all of a sudden it spreads like wildfire, so we’ll try to quarantine them off and see what happens.”

After revealing Duff had also sat out training yesterday he added: “That doesn’t fill me with enthusiasm for Robbie given that Michael was ill on Tuesday. I’m hoping it’s not to the same extent, but we’ll see how he is.

“We’ll monitor them, but whoever’s asked to play will give everything they’ve got, so I’m quite relaxed about that.”

Tuesday’s triumph over adversity has gone a long way to fuelling Coyle’s positive outlook, after he was forced to reshuffle a much-changed line-up following Kalvenes’ departure.

“I thought Tuesday night was our best performance of the season - I don’t mean in terms of the free-flowing football that we’re known for - I just think given the circumstances with losing Clarke Carlisle and Steven Caldwell not being full fit, Michael Duff being unwell, Christian Kalvenes getting injured during the game, against I would think the best side we’ve played in the Championship,” he said.

“It’s disappointing (for Kalvenes) because he’s come in and done ever so well and showed a very good run of form. As it is, Christian benefited from Stephen Jordan’s sending off at Reading, which we felt was soft, so we know we’ve got Stephen there.

“Having said that he started at left centre back the other night, and Chris McCann finished there, but I think that probably sums up the spirit within that group that they’re ready, to a man, to go and fill the positions that you ask of them, and as a manager you can’t ask any more than that.”

He added: “We have a tremendous squad of players; what we don’t have is one similar to some Championship club squads of 30 players.

"So when we get injuries or suspensions to key players there’s a chance that might hit us hard, that’s not happened so far and long may that continue.

“Any manager will tell you they’re always looking to improve their squads, and I’m no different.

"I’ve probably had one or two lined up that would have been able to come in and help us out, but like anything else, the way finance is everywhere it’s very tight.

"We haven’t done anything at this moment in time. It may be that if the injuries and the bad luck in terms of illness persist, then obviously we need to take action upon that.

“That’s something you’re always looking at.

“There have been one or two tentative enquiries about one or two of our players but nothing that was concrete or that those players would look at and would think it was worth their while doing.”