Boss backs Barnett

Tony Mowbray has given Leon Barnett his full backing insisting he's not worried about the 22-year-old's confidence after last week's derby defeat to Aston Villa. The former Luton Town defender was at fault for both Villa goals last Sunday but Mowbray claims the experience will make him a better player as he comes to grips with the requirements of Premiership football.

Barnett has been on a steep learning curve in his short professional career since making his debut in the Coca-Cola Championship only three years ago but has not let Sunday's disappointment get the better of him.

"Leon has responded as you would expect," Mowbray said.

"He has got his head down and got on with it.

"I think Leon has got the potential to be a real, real top Premier League footballer for us.

"At this moment in time he is on a learning curve from playing for Luton at the bottom of the Championship in a team that got relegated.

"Then in such a short period of time he is playing against some of the best strikers in the world.

"The period of time he's had to make that jump is too great, which is why when everyone was apparently fit last weekend, he found himself out of the starting XI because he's on a learning curve with us.

"He did exceptionally well in his first four games in the Premier League and has acquitted himself well.

"He found the weekend tough against John Carew.

"He gave us everything he's got but there is still a substantial amount of development left in Leon that will ultimately produce a top player.

"You need to go through the experiences sometimes to get there and I hope when he comes up against a lad of the strength and stature of John Carew in the future he does something different when he's marking him at set-plays.

"I'm not worried about his confidence going into this weekend.

"He's got every chance of playing."