Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough knows that Wednesday night's Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United is just a footnote in a season where Championship survival is the number one priority ahead of Saturday's potentially crucial match against Queens Park Rangers.

Albion travel to Loftus Road looking to inflict a second-successive away victory on QPR - the start of a tough week that takes in back-to-back home games against big-spending duo Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

They head into Saturday's game on a high, having taken valuable points off Norwich City and Fulham in their last pair of league games while giving a good account of themselves against the might of Manchester United in their 4-1 loss at Old Trafford.

"That’s the one," Clough said of Saturday's match after the defeat to United.

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough
Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough

"That's the important one of the week for us.

"This is a special occasion, but the next three games before the international break could go a certain amount of the way to defining how we do this season.

"Two home games and a tough one at QPR on Saturday. We want the same sort of attitude that we've had tonight and seen in the last couple of games.

"You can come here and you can be on the end of an absolute thrashing and a battering and you come away demoralised, as good an occasion as it is.

"The lads aren't feeling like that, which is good. They went out there, had a go, scored a goal and now we move on to QPR."

That mentality Clough speaks of, not being demoralised, is crucial - because although the Brewers were outclassed by a side that will be challenging for domestic and European titles this season, they weren't embarrassed.

And they head to Loftus Road with the accolade of being the only visiting side to have managed to have scored at Old Trafford so far this term.

As Clough has said, it will surely stand them in good stead - and the performances from a number of individuals on Wednesday will ensure that no place in the starting XI is certain for any player.

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough
Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough

Burton's squad for the trip to Shepherd's Bush, where they enjoyed a 2-1 success last term thanks to goals from Luke Murphy and Lloyd Dyer, won't be as cut and dried as one would have thought, thanks to a number of solid performances against a top-class united side.

Clough knows that competitions like the Carabao Cup are there to be taken advantage of, and it provided a good opportunity to blood youngsters and get some crucial game-time under certain players' belts.

The likes of Tom Flanagan - who put in a good showing against £36 million man Anthony Martial on the right-hand side of the Brewers' defence - and Tom Naylor, dependable up until his mistake put Marcus Rashford through to set up Anthony Martial's goal for United's fourth, have given Clough somewhat of a selection dilemma for Saturday's match in west London.

That dilemma has extended to midfield, too, with Hope Akpan - making his first start since his sending off against Middlesbrough last month - who put in a solid display despite having to go up against the likes of Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera in United's midfield.

"It's very important for us and people won't appreciate that," Clough said, when asked about the chance the cup competitions offer to field players who are still trying to get match-fit ahead of important league matches such as Saturday’s.

"Hope has just played 80 minutes and I thought he played very well tonight, we also had Tom Flanagan coming in.

"Two or three people have sort of put themselves into our thoughts a little bit more, as well as getting match fitness. It's important from that point of view.

Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard scores his side's third against Burton Albion
Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard scores his side's third against Burton Albion

"We've made nine changes tonight, but we honestly believed that was the best way. We could have put our (young) lads out tonight, and we could have lost five or six-nil with our first team.

"That wouldn’t have done us any good and we would have been on our knees for Saturday. We thought that was our freshest players we had out there tonight.

"It worked out well, with Stephen Warnock and Ben turner out there doing 45 minutes and Luke Murphy and Jamie Allen, too."