STEVE Cotterill is backing his new-look Burnley side to improve with every game.

The Clarets carry their unbeaten start to the season to Watford tomorrow for another testing away day.

And new boss Cotterill is confident having such a small squad is helping to foster a winning mentality.

"I am pretty confident in my lads and I feel they have enough confident in themselves," Cotterill insisted.

"Obviously everything is still brand new and it's going to take a dozen or so games before they understand each other a little bit better.

"But to be fair they have been here such a short pace of time and played so few games together and yet have gelled remarkably well.

"That's a credit to the players and my coaching staff that they have managed to bond and settle in so well to new thoughts, ideas and plans."

Cotterill, who can currently call on just 12 experienced outfield players, added: "Small squads can be an advantage.

"The players don't have so many people in the dressing room to dislike - that's the one side of it.

"The less players you have, the chances are they can get on better with each other. If you have 30, someone might not like someone who is best mates with someone else. That stuff happens when you have big squads.

"I've never really worked with big squads anyhow - I'm not into that. The important thing is to keep those players who are not in the team happy.

"They are the important ones and you can almost dismiss the personal detail and attention to the starting 11."

An injury-free squad means that Danny Coyne, a doubt before the midweek trip to Rotherham, should retain the number one jersey for the trip to Vicarage Road, with Brian Jensen again set for the bench alongside Lee Roche and teenage trio Joel Pilkington, Matt O'Neill and Ryan Townsend.

And Cotterill expects another tough test in a First Division clash that sees Jamaican midfielder Micah Hyde return to Watford for the first time since his summer switch to Turf Moor.

"I think it will be pretty similar to the two games already," Cotterill admitted.

"The three games are very similar."