Michael Duff hails Tom Heaton impact at Burnley

Burnley defender Michael Duff has said that goalkeeper Tom Heaton has proved to be a good replacement for Lee Grant this season.

Grant left the Clarets to rejoin Derby County during the summer, and he will return to Turf Moor for the first time with the Rams on Saturday.

Duff believes that the capture of Heaton on a free transfer in July was a shrewd piece of business.

"Granty sometimes got a bit of stick, but people sometimes forgot that we were set up to score lots of goals, and obviously we conceded a few as a byproduct of that," Duff told the Burnley Express.

"But he is a good goalkeeper, he's played in the Championship all his career, which says a lot. He's a good lad and a good pro, and I still speak to him regularly.

"To say he's not been missed would be harsh, but that's football, however. Tom Heaton has been brilliant. People come and people go, and Tom has been commanding. There are no rushes of blood with him, he is what he is, you know what you are going to get."

Heaton has made 36 appearances this season.