Nigel Clough believes the fearlessness of Burton Albion's young players can benefit them in their current situation.

The second-half introductions of Joe Sbarra and Will Miller in Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Brentford helped the Brewers to come back and secure a valuable point at Griffin Park.

Both added a timely shot of energy, with Sbarra producing a fine assist for Ben Turner's equaliser and helping Albion to continue an impressive recent record on the road in the Championship.

Despite that run, the Brewers have been under some pressure recently due to a five-match losing streak at the Pirelli Stadium that has left them in the bottom three.

Joe Sbarra in action for Burton Albion during the 1-1 draw with Brentford

So could the relative inexperience of the likes of Sbarra and Miller have its own part to play as Albion look to push out of the relegation zone in the coming weeks?

"What happens is, with the older or more senior players and the experienced ones, they feel it more," said Clough.

"They feel, not the fear, but when you are in a bad run, they take it on board.

"When you are younger, you don't realise things like that.

"You just go out and play as if it's a Sunday morning game.

"You get that freshness and that youthfulness, which I think is good in our situation."

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough
Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough

The draw at Brentford has laid a solid platform ahead of a huge clash at home to bottom-of-the-table Sunderland.

And having seen his side show superb character to come from behind and push for victory late on at Griffin Park, Clough hopes his team will just pick up where they left off come 3pm on Saturday.

"We've got to follow it up on Saturday," he added.

"It is a good start (the Brentford game), not just in terms of the result, but the performance as well.

"When you finish a game as well and as strongly as we did, and althoughg we had a scare at the end coming from their free-kick, I thought we looked more likely to go and get that winner in the last 10 minutes or so.

"When you finish strongly, it's good psychologically - and we can try to take that into Sunderland."