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Cotterill admits to being relieved that his side are some distance away from the relegation positions going into the last three games. "How we've managed to get to where we are in the table has been a credit to the players," he said. "It's been almost a miracle.
"I should imagine there are teams below with much larger squads who would love to have as many points as we have.
"I think we've gone full circle to where we were at the beginning of the season. We're pathetically think. The fact we had just four substitutes shows exactly where we are.
"I'm looking forward to going back to Burnley very much but I would like to be doing it with a stronger squad, but we'll make as good a fist of it as we can. We've got to home the gods are with us and we get a goal in front to give us something to hold on to."
For Burnley it is yet another important game and manager Eddie Howe has appealed to the Burnley fans to get right behind the team.
"We are still playing catch up, but we are giving ourselves a chance," he said. "The frustrating thing all season is we have got close and then, just when we are right on the edge, we falter. I'd like to think this time will be different.
"We have three games to go, starting with the game against Portsmouth and I would like to hope we can generate a fantastic atmosphere and get Turf Moor rocking to make it a difficult day for Portsmouth."