Caldwell out for Clarets

Posted Saturday, September 19, 2009 by PA

Burnley manager Owen Coyle will again be without skipper Steven Caldwell against Sunderland.

The defender continues to be troubled by a groin injury but fellow centre-back Michael Duff is fit again after an ankle knock.

Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole (heel) is a major doubt while goalkeeper Marton Fulop is likely to miss out once again with a similar problem.

Craig Gordon, who played in the 4-1 victory over Hull last weekend, has recovered from his thigh strain.

Left-back George McCartney (hamstring) has a chance of making the game after recovering more quickly than expected but Kieran Richardson, who played there against the Tigers, John Mensah and Paulo da Silva are standing by.

Burnley defender Andre Bikey has warned big-spending Sunderland boss Steve Bruce that splashing the cash is no guarantee of success.

The Black Cats claimed a pitiful points tally of 36 last season and narrowly avoided relegation.

The appointment of Bruce, and the huge funds he has spent on men like Darren Bent, Cattermole and Michael Turner, has encouraged hopes that Sunderland can push for a top-10 finish this season.

Yet Bikey, who joined Burnley from Reading in August, is not convinced ahead of the lunchtime meeting between the clubs at Turf Moor.

The Cameroon international, 24, said: "Just because you spend a lot of money it doesn't make you the best team in the world.

"You can have money to spend on everything you want but let's see what happens on the pitch because it's about the players and the football.

"We've got a lot of quality ourselves and we will give everything to win the game against Sunderland."

Bruce is happy with the progress his new-look side is making, however.

"I just detect now there is a bit of spirit coming amongst us," he said.

"We are all new, we have made huge changes and that takes a little bit of time, but we can see people are gelling with each other and making friends with each other.

"That's going to take, as I said, a little bit of time, but it's going the right way."