After shipping seven goals in losing the first two league games, the Clarets have progressed to a Carling Cup fourth round date with Chelsea, while rising up the Championship table, to just outside the play-off spots.

Burnley have won four of five games since the international break – which would have been all five but for a last-gasp Swansea equaliser – and with two more games to come before the next round of internationals, Coyle hopes that confidence will see them through.

He said: "I would hope the players have taken a lot from the run, given the level of the teams we've been playing against, with Fulham last week, and Preston, who are flying high at the top.

"You could see why Preston have earned so many points, but I felt we carried the game to them from start to finish, and although we were disappointed to lose the goal, against the run of play, once Joey scored his wondergoal, I felt there was only going to be one winner.

"But we've won a few games, and that's all we've done. The Championship can throw you up and throw you down as we all know.

"We just have to make sure we stay focussed and hopefully the players stay in the form they're in, and carry it on.

"When you go from game to game, every game, home or away, is tough, but we are playing well, there's a bit of continuity, and long may that continue."

He also knows that, no matter how well the Clarets perform, opponents at Championship level remain a threat for 90 minutes, as Preston showed on Saturday, scoring with their only real opening: "I was disappointed with the goal we lost on Saturday, I felt three or four times in the attack it could have been nipped in the bud.

"It was a terrific finish, but we have that belief, as much as we lost the goal, we got together and took the game on again.

"You're never going to be in charge of games for 90 minutes in this league, so you have to make sure you're switched on, you have to make sure any chances teams get are down to a minimum, and not clear-cut scoring opportunities."

Watford come to Turf Moor 19th in the table after a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United on Saturday.

Despite a change in personnel over the summer, including the signing of Burnley left back Jon Harley, Coyle is wary of the Hornets: "They will be disappointed on Saturday, probably everything that could go against them has, the goal against Reading, losing the goalkeeper (Scott Loach) on Saturday after 10, 15 minutes, but there's no doubt Aidy (Boothroyd)'s a top coach, knows the game inside out, and he'll be looking for his players to bounce back.

"We have to make sure we're at our very best, focussed, and keep up the level of performance and workrate.

"The work ethic has been the biggest single thing."

Harley could come up against Wade Elliott in a fascinating individual duel, and Coyle added: "It will be nice to see Jon, we wish him well, except when he plays against us, but Jon and Wade will know each other well, so that's an intruiging battle, but our focus is on being at our best and going and winning the game."