Burton v Bradford City: Why Michael Duff will make changes even after Bantams went top

The weekend contributions of attacking trio Nick Powell, Will Swan and Stephen Humphrys all provided him with food for thought amid a three-game week after they made key contributions from the bench against Stevenage.

Corey O'Keeffe also impressed at right wing-back after coming on as a substitute in the second half as City secured their maiden league victory under Duff.

Regarding tough decisions ahead of the Burton match concerning his starting lineup, the City chief said: "Exactly. It's what we want. We want the group because it can't just be 11. It never can be 11.

"And whoever starts Saturday in modern-day football, it doesn't matter who the 11 starters are because it's never the team that finishes.

"I don't think there'll be many games any weekend now where the same 11 stay on. It is a group game.

"It (Tuesday) is an away game. There'll be travel. We'll see 'bumps and bruises' and we'll pick a team that will accept the challenge that Burton give you because they're another good team who fight and make things difficult and punch above their weight.

"But it won't be: 'oh we've won 2-0, we'll just play the same 11'. That isn't the case. The only time I've probably ever done that is the first game last week.

"I didn't touch anything. I didn't touch the subs or the starters. The subs didn't really change anything.

"Hopefully there's a few little tweaks. Obviously Humphs came in (on Saturday's bench) so there's a few little tweaks along the way."

Duff lines up against a manager whom he respects deeply tonight in the shape of Burton chief and one-time City boss Gary Bowyer, whose side continues to defy the odds at third-tier level.

Albion have turned over the likes of Plymouth Argyle and Leicester City already this term and Duff is under no illusions that trying to upset the league leaders is just the sort of challenge that the Midlands club historically relish under Bowyer.

The City chief continued: "It's hard to win a game of football.

"Everyone has to turn up. You need seven or eight players to win a game. Five or six players turn up, you get a draw.

"Seven or eight, you get a win. If all ten or eleven turn up, you win three or four-nil.

"They've got a brilliant manager. Gary punches above his weight all the time. He did it last year.

"He gets his two centre-forwards taken off him (in the summer), but he's doing it again this year.

"I think he's top. I think he's very, very underrated.

"You don't look at the table. I'd rather be 10th than 24th. I'm not stupid. But it doesn't really mean anything yet.

"It's just a sign of 'look at the work that's been going on'. How can we keep pushing to get better?"