PROUD Burnley manager Owen Coyle described his side’s win at Sheffield United as arguably his side’s best result and performance of the season.

It was a true triumph over adversity for the Clarets, for whom, added to the absence of suspended defender Clarke Carlisle, Chris McCann and Michael Duff were late casualties.

Midfielder McCann didn’t make the journey across the Pennines after being ill during Friday night, while Duff, who along with Kevin McDonald and Graham Alexander hadn’t trained since beating Arsenal through injury, broke down in the warm-up.

That prompted wholesale changes in defence, with a rare outing at right back for winger Wade Elliott, while Alexander played at left back and Stephen Jordan as the left-sided centre half alongside captain Steven Caldwell.

“I don’t know if the board will look at it and think we can soldier on with that, but I know that whenever they’re asked to play they’ll look to do their very best,” said Coyle after his patched-up squad recorded a 3-2 win at Bramall Lane.

“Before the game probably everything that could conspire against you did. But each and every one of them showed they can play.

“We knew there would be spells at Sheffield United where we’d be under pressure because they’re a good side and they’ll be in the shake-up at the end of the season. But we knew that if we were brave in terms of taking the ball and passing and moving it that we could create chances, and so it proved.

"I know we came out on the right side of the five goals, but I think any neutral must have loved that as a spectacle; and given the level of performance against Arsenal during the week and what that game was like to watch, it's pleasing that we're winning games but entertaining at the same time.

"I'm not being clever after the event; I'd be saying the same thing if we'd lost 4-3 about everything they offered to the game - that hunger, desire and energy, and that quality of football.

"I couldn't be more pleased with them, and I really believe that's probably our best performance and result of the season."