NO time is a good time to lose a key player, but when you are in a really great position it is a significant blow to lose your best striker and main goalscorer.

So fingers crossed Burnley have Danny Ings back from injury to face Barnsley this afternoon.

If he is missing, it makes the task of getting the win we need that little bit more difficult, although we should still have enough.

Scott Arfield proved an able deputy, playing just off the front. We just lacked that final touch to see Watford off. We certainly weren’t without the chances.

But without Ings it takes a little bit away from Sam Vokes. That combination that has been so successful has been broken up for the first time and that connection was missed.

We knew it would happen at some point this season, which makes it all the more frustrating that Sean Dyche could not get a loan signing before last week’s deadline.

At least it was reassuring to hear the board say they are not interested in selling any of their stars in the next transfer window when it opens in January.

Despite still having some way to go to make up for the £7.6million losses recorded before the summer sale of Charlie Austin, they have got to keep this squad together, and add to it.

In the meantime we have to try to stay up and around things at the top of the Championship, and get back to winning ways.

Although Barnsley are struggling they will be boosted by a good win at Brighton in midweek and be coming to Turf Moor with confidence, and with a caretaker manager looking to get the job full-time.

It is familiar territory for Micky Mellon. He had a good time here as a player, but I’m sure he’s looking forward to taking points off the Clarets and strengthen his own cause.

And from previous experience he knows what it takes to win at Turf Moor.

But, no disrespect to Barnsley, if Burnley have any ambition of doing anything this season they’ve got to be putting struggling sides like that to bed.

We have the chance to go back to the top of the table or at least stay in the top three and it is important we take that chance.