Birthday boy Duff hails Barnes deal

Having signed on Friday from Brighton, Barnes has the task of trying to break up a partnership that has reaped 33 goals so far this season.

But Duff, 36 on Saturday, is excited at the prospect of competition for places up front: “Ash will bring a blend of the two we’ve already got - he’s good in the air and has good physicality, but he works his socks off.

“He’s no different to anyone else though, if he doesn’t already know, he soon will, what he has to do to get in the team.

“It will be hard for him at the minute because of the form of the front two, but it’s a nice problem to have, having more good players than not enough.”

Duff, in his 10th season with Burnley, accepts the club had to be patient to bring the right player in: “With Barnesy coming in as well, it’s more quality in the top areas of the pitch, which is great.

“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 applecart really.

“Straight away in training you could see it.

“The gaffer obviously knows him well.

“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 two, 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, so it has to be a positive.”

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