There’s never a good time to make the journey down to Portsmouth. It’s a mammoth trip, it’s usually freezing, and more often than not, the Clarets come away with nothing.

So in one way, having the match postponed due to health and safety concerns as a result of iced-up terracing was not necessarily a bad thing.

It certainly saved some hardy souls the not inconsiderable trouble of undertaking the cross-country trek through what became known last week as “Frozen Britain.”

Instead, the likes of Chris Eagles and Martin Paterson will have had an extra week to recover from their injuries.

Jack Frost and his multitudinous minions allowing, the next time Burnley will take to the pitch will be for the visit of Leeds this Saturday.

In another world, Simon Grayson might have been in the home dug-out.

As it is, under his tutelage United have taken to the Championship like a duck to water and currently sit in the play-off positions.

Unlike the Clarets, they have also mastered the art of the away win, with four victories outside Elland Road so far this term. Nor are they goal-shy, with only Cardiff and Watford out-scoring them in terms of away goals.

In other words, Burnley will have their work cut out.

For this writer’s money, the Clarets have looked at their best when adopting a straight, old-fashioned 4-4-2. It might be passé on the world stage, but given the players Brian Laws has at his disposal, it can be extremely effective at this level.

Provided Eagles is fit, he should be deployed on the right flank with Wallace on the left: Marney should sit and hold with Jack Cork supporting the front two.

Up front, it’s time to ring the changes. Chris Iwelumo has suffered a dip in form lately.

As his contribution is negligible when he is not scoring, Jay Rodriguez should be given a chance up top.

Rodriguez has superior movement, shows great intelligence in terms of runs and all-round awareness and is able to hold up the ball just as well as Iwelumo. Injury allowing, Martin Paterson deserves an opportunity to partner him.