IF Stan Ternent needed reminding what he really wanted for Christmas, he got it at Maine Road on Saturday.

Since the start of the season the Clarets have relied almost exclusively on the front pairing of Gareth Taylor and Ian Moore and there has been no harder working partnership in the first division.

But with games coming thick and fast at all levels of the game it is increasingly important for a manger to have options up front, to have a Plan B.

Manchester City's Kevin Keegan certainly has those kind of options, perming two from three of Shaun Goater, Paulo Wanchope and Darren Huckerby while also having the extra firepower of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Paul Dickov.

Third placed Wolves have got an embarrassment of riches in attack having just added a proven Premier League scorer Dean Sturridge and £3million Kenny Miller to an already formidable quartet of Cedric Roussel, Nathan Blake, George Ndah and Adam Proudlock.

With Andy Payton on loan by the seaside Ternent's attacking options are even more limited than they were. Dimitri Papadopoulos is a promising young striker but there is a large step to be negotiated before hat-tricks against Wolves reserves at RAF Cosford can be converted into first division goals at a place like Maine Road.

Burnley's other sub was Tony Ellis, a proven goalscorer in the lower leagues for the past 15 years but at 37 hardly a man likely to fire a club into the top flight. Ternent's admiration for Bradford's Robbie Blake has been well documented and he does know what it takes to get a side into the Premiership having helped Bradford to promotion a couple of seasons ago.

The other name in the striking frame in recent days has been Shefki Kuqi. The Stockport County man impressed against the Clarets at Turf Moor recently and, at 25, the best may be yet to come. A Finnish international, he looks sure to leave the doomed Edgeley Park club.

But they are just two possible signings and you can be certain that Ternent has been watching a number of other strikers. Cardiff's Robert Earnshaw and Mansfield's Chris Greenacre have both done well, albeit lower down the league, and the Clarets have also been scouring Europe and beyond.

What is certain is that there is little time to waste. After today's game against Bradford there are just 19 to go and having got into pole position it is too good an opportunity to go up to be wasted. A new striker will guarantee nothing and Taylor and Moore will continue to be vital players. But they will have a greater impact if they have someone with who to share the load.

Finally commiserations to all those who got to Rotherham on Boxing Day. I shared the disappointment of fans who could not understand why a game definitely on at midday was suddenly unplayable less than two hours later.

Let's just hope it is going to be a very Happy New Year for the Clarets.