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"Owen Coyle has done as good a job as anyone and he was close to being my manager of the year last season. It is undoubtedly going to be tough for us. A lot of people have tried to get Burnley out of the Championship but none have succeeded until Owen. He is someone I've known for a long time."
Coyle also knows it is going to be a tough game for his side but he reflected on Wednesday and that glorious win against Manchester United. "As a manager there is no doubt it was a night to remember and looking back now there is no doubt that it was a terrific night for the football club and indeed the town. Even before the game, the one thing that heartened me is the number of Burnley tops I saw.
"Wherever I played in Scotland outside Glasgow, there were always Rangers and Celtic buses leaving those towns to go and support the big two. When I drove into Turf Moor at 2:45 p.m. in preparation for Wednesday's game, the whole town was milling about and everyone was in their club colours.
"Even before the game that gave me a real good feeling because irrespective of how the game might have turned out, everyone had turned out.
"The other good thing about Wednesday is that it gave us some points on the board that nobody outside the town would have envisaged us having after five games. But one swallow doesn't make a summer and it is up to the fans and the players now to replicate Wednesday.
"As much as the players know the belief and confidence I have in them, I hope they can take that on for themselves and push on.
"Turf Moor was a cauldron on Wednesday and we need that on a game to game basis in this league. We had it against Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal in the big cup games and we need that on a game to game basis because, despite the three points the other night, we're still everybody's favourite to go down.
"That won't change, because of the size of the club and the finance, but it doesn't faze me. People can have their opinions and it can be written or it can be said. But ultimately it is up to my players when they cross that white line to go and deliver on what we believe they can do, and if they do that we can win points."
Speaking about his opposite number this afternoon, Coyle added: "David Moyes is in many ways similar to Sir Alex in that qualities he has. We spent time together earlier in our careers and even at that age you could tell how studious he was about coaching.
"It came as no surprise to me when he moved in that direction and how successful he's been. I think he is a terrific example to any young manager making his way in the game. Everton have had real success with David because he is fantastic at what he does and he gets the best of out of that group of players."