MICHAEL Duff believes Burnley’s strength lies in quality over quantity.

The Clarets have added Ashley Barnes to the squad and manager Sean Dyche says the search is ongoing for others.

But while one or two more faces would be a welcome boost in the second half of the season, Duff knows the chance of further new arrivals would hardly swell the numbers.

However, he has backed Burnley to continue to defy perceptions that their slim squad cannot go the distance in the promotion race, because they are all working together.

“People are fighting tooth and nail for each other,” said Duff, who celebrated his 36th birthday with the Clarets’ 14th win of the campaign to bring up the 50-point mark after 25 games.

“Everyone’s going to have to chip in – the whole squad – because it's so small.

“At Yeovil we had people like Junior (Stanislas) winning headers at the back stick and chasing everything down. He maybe isn’t known for things like that, but that’s what people do now.

“It’s work-rate with framework. It’s alright running around, but if you’re running teams can just pass it around you.

“It's hard work in a team shape and then we go and play from there. The quality we’ve got in the top areas of the pitch, you always back yourself to score goals.”

And it is with that in mind that Duff reckons new boy Barnes has the right calibre for the Clarets.

“People have talked about the size of the squad a lot recently but it had to be the right player – or anyone coming in has to be the right player – the right fit, the right mentality, because it’s such a tight knit group that you don’t want anyone coming in and upsetting the apple-cart really.

“It’s good that he gives the front two competition because I’m sure he doesn’t want to come here and play second fiddle to them. He’ll want to come in and put his own stamp and get in the team.

“Maybe a couple of times in the last six weeks things haven’t quite gone for us and we maybe needed to change it but we’ve not been able to, so the signing has to be a positive.”

Sam Vokes and top scorer Danny Ings responded to last week’s capture of Barnes with a goal each against the Glovers.

Ings’ was a spectacular strike from 25 yards, which Duff knew was in from the moment it left the 21-year-old’s foot.

“Ingsy’s got that quality. In my head when it dropped to him I said to myself ‘hit it’. You could have put three keepers in there and they wouldn’t have saved it. That’s what he gives you.

“With Barnes coming in as well it’s more quality in the top areas of the pitch, which is great.”