CLARKE Carlisle believes the form of Burnley veteran Michael Duff has softened the blow of missing out on West Bromwich Albion centre back Craig Dawson this summer.

Sean Dyche saw several bids for Dawson knocked back by the Baggies ahead of the new campaign, and on Sunday the 24-year-old will line up against the Clarets at the Hawthorns.

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But Dawson has not been missed at Turf Moor, with Burnley keeping three clean sheets in a row.

Only Southampton have conceded less than them in the first five games of the season.

Carlisle made over 150 appearances for Burnley, many of them alongside 36-year-old Duff, and it has come as no surprise to him to see his former teammate shining at the heart of the Clarets defence.

“Managers will always look to bring players in because you do need to strengthen the squad and you need to have competition for places,” said Carlisle.

“But I would be the first to say that if Burnley had signed Craig Dawson in the summer then I don’t think he would have got in the team yet.

“Duff has been superb so far and I have no doubt that he will be in the Burnley team for many years to come.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if he carried on like Graham Alexander did and played until he is 40 because he is fit enough to.

“Michael Duff works hard, he trains hard, he keeps improving and he knows tactically what he has to do and what the opposition will do.

“In a way he reminds me of Beast (Brian Jensen). I think there were probably six goalkeepers signed to replace Beast and none of them managed it.

“It will be like that with Duffo. He will be in that Burnley team for a long time to come yet.”

Carlisle believes that the experience Duff picked up during his first spell in the Premier League five years ago has been crucial to his impressive start.

“Sometimes when you are in the Premier League you can think you are at the top of your game and a team or a player can destroy you through no fault of your own,” said Carlisle.

“That is hard to take and Duffo has been there and can use that experience. It is vital to him and it is vital to help other players who are new to the Premier League.

“It is no surprise to me that he is one of, if not the, first name on the team sheet this season as he has been in the three years since I left.”

The Clarets are yet to win in five league games this season, although they have drawn three, but in 2009/10 they had already beaten Everton and Manchester United at home at this stage.

But Carlisle isn’t reading too much into the start, and thinks they are better prepared now than they were five years for the tactical demands of the Premier League.

“It will give you confidence when you get great results against great sides like they did with Manchester United but that can also be a trap,” he said.

“We paid for it when we were there in that we had some great results early on and then faded away. It is a long hard season.

“Michael Duff will know that a game away at West Brom is no easier than one at home to Manchester United. He will know not to change his mindset because it has been earmarked as a winnable game.

“I see a lot of differences between the side now compared to when we were there. I see a real organisation in the whole team to know their jobs. It doesn’t matter who comes off the bench and in what position they know the jobs they have got to do.

“When we were in the Premier League it was a case of defend if you’re a defender, attack if you’re a wide midfielder and get the ball in the box for the strikers to try and score.

“We were not as tactically aware as the side are now and that ultimately cost us.”