STEVE Cotterill has urged Burnley to bounce back from the "blow" of seeing Nathan Dyer dragged back to Southampton.

The Clarets shrugged off on-loan defender Keith Lowe's recent return to Wolverhampton Wanderers with a win against Watford last weekend.

And with the crucial Christmas programme looming, Cotterill insisted Dyer's departure cannot be allowed to derail the momentum built up during the Saints striker's two months at Turf Moor.

He said: "There was always that risk of Nathan going back when Harry Redknapp left and Southampton got beat last Saturday.

"It was great to have him here and it was quite sad to see him go, as it was to see Keith go the other week.

"But we bounced back when Keith left and we've got to do the same now Nathan's left.

"We've still got some good players here, and we shouldn't overlook that."

Cotterill added: "It is disappointing not having Nathan, but while I have read it's a crushing blow, it isn't.

"It is a blow, but we've got other people who can play. They might not be as dynamic or as quick, but they are just as good."

Dyer's arrival from St Mary's coincided with four successive victories that catapulted Burnley into the play-off picture.

But with Southampton in turmoil following Redknapp's defection to Portsmouth, the caretaker team of Dave Bassett and Dennis Wise clearly felt they needed all hands to the pumps for four games in eight days over the festive period.

Yet Cotterill is not convinced the 18-year-old striker will return to the south coast to make a similar impact.

He added: "It will be interesting now to see if he plays because I don't know if he will get in their starting line-up at the moment.

"If you had a fully-fit squad to choose from there, I probably think he will be on the bench. That's my honest opinion, but we'll wait and see what happens."