THE Clarets prepare for the visit to Bramall Lane tomorrow evening knowing that they have got three games in six days that could make or break their season.

Following the trip to the Blades, they travel to Walsall on Saturday and then host Leicester City a week tonight.

Stan Ternent is convinced that a play-off place is still within reach but he knows that the points have to be put on the board sooner rather than later.

In the last couple of weeks, a gap has opened up between the top six and the chasing pack but there is still more than a quarter of the season to go.

And if Ternent is looking for inspiration, he need only refer to this time last season when Steve Bruce's Birmingham City lay in tenth place before climbing the table and reaching the top flight with victory at Cardiff.

Burnley have hit form in the league at the right time with ten points from a possible 12 in the last four games, defeating Coventry, Derby and Stoke before getting a draw at Millwall a week ago.

In fact, the demoralising defeat at Watford was only the second in the last 15 games for Ternent's side

But tomorrow night, after six games with an unchanged side, Ternent must decide whether it is time to freshen things with four of his top players pushing for promotion from the bench: Glen Little, Paul Weller, Robbie Blake and skipper Steve Davis.

"The players had yesterday off but I don't think we have any problems from the weekend," said Ternent before training this morning as he ponders changes.

It is now many weeks since Little and Weller started a match, both having had injury problems. Weller went off at Grimsby at the start of the year while Little's last start was in the replay against the Mariners.

Both have come off the bench in recent games and had a full 90 minutes for the reserves last Wednesday.

Skipper Steve Davis has been out even longer, struggling with his latest knee injury that he suffered in the home defeat by Rotherham. But he did make an appearance from the bench at Vicarage Road and is clearly getting closer to being in contention for a starting place.

As for Blake, he has remained fit but not figured as the manager has opted for the five-man midfield formation with Ian Moore and Alan Moore coming down the flanks to support lone striker Gareth Taylor.

He was also introduced at Vicarage Road but will be hoping that he will soon be in the starting line-up again.

Ternent has admitted that having a fully fit squad at his disposal does give him problems but he said: "They are good problems to have."

His opposite number tomorrow Neil Warnock will also have some key decisions to make as he considers what, if any, changes to make to the side that earned an FA Cup semi-final against either Arsenal or Chelsea.

The Blades' FA Cup dream is still very much alive but both managers, sworn enemies, at least agree on one thing, promotion is the main thing.

Tomorrow night will go some way to deciding whether United still have a shot at an automatic spot and the Clarets can make the play-offs.