IT'S only a few months since he left, but Glen Little might have trouble recognising his old team tomorrow.

The Reading winger is likely to be watching them from the bench as he recovers from the hamstring injury which has haunted him since his switch from Turf Moor in the summer.

But the break from action has given the former Evening Telegraph columnist plenty of time to assess how much things have changed since his eight-year spell with the Clarets came to an end.

And he admits that he's had to double check the goals against column to make sure it's really the second lowest in the Coca-Cola Championship.

"It's totally changed from when I was there," said Little. "There used to be three or four goals going in every week and it was a case of seeing whether we could just score more than the opposition.

"But Steve Cotterill has obviously looked at the defence and the stats in the league and knows that you can't be conceding 80 or 90 goals every season. You can't afford to keep shipping them in.

"They've kept clean sheets and there weren't too many of them last season so he's built from the back and made it difficult for others.

"I've spoken to Blakey and The Hulk (Brian Jensen), who have said Burnley are a bit tighter now. They're not scoring as many, but something had to give."

With the Royals currently reigning at the top of the Championship with a 100 per cent home record, Little doesn't expect the tactics to be any different at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow.

"Our home form is why we are top of the table. We've won five out of five and scored three goals a game on three occasions," said Little.

"Burnley are tight at the back and after looking at our home form I think they will come to Reading and play the same way as they have been doing.

"They'll be hard to beat and they'll get people behind the ball.

"It might not be as entertaining as last season but they're doing well in mid-table and, after we struggled with relegation last season, that's nice to see.

"They had a big clear-out and we knew the money thing was tight so it wasn't going to be a big squad, but luckily they haven't had too many injuries."

The same can't be said of Little, who turns 29 in two weeks, following the spasmodic start to his Reading career.

He sustained a hamstring injury in the second game of the season against West Ham and a premature attempt at a comeback then aggravated it again further.

So Little knows that, even though he played for the reserves on Wednesday night, a more patient recovery will have to take priority over facing his former club.

He said: "I want to come back anyway, but with it being Burnley I want to get involved at some stage.

"I doubt I will start because we are doing so well at the moment I'm sure we will be keeping things as they are for now.

"But if I am involved it will be a case of being on the bench because last time I rushed back and my hamstring went again.

"It's been frustrating. I started well but it's been stop-start since so I want to get back out there as soon a possible.

"With me being at a new club I was a bit too keen so this time I've had a longer break.

"When you are top of the league you want to be out there but if I have a good week in training hopefully I can get on the bench against the boys.

"But either way, I'll enjoy seeing the lads again."