Which Premiership club has had the worst luck with injuries this season?

Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool would have a claim while Blackburn were without six first-teamers in their defeat against Bolton last week. Spurs have also had their normal sick-bed quota this season.

But given Charlton’s relatively modest resources, it is nothing short of a miracle that they are sitting in a Champions League spot despite missing Kevin Lisbie, Shaun Bartlett, Luke Young, Richard Rufus and Gary Rowett for long periods as well as only recently welcoming the return of South African central defender Mark Fish.

In his 13th year at The Valley and nearly nine years in sole charge, Alan Curbishley’s aspirations this season are greater than mere safety.

Curbs gives skipper Matt Holland directions"We said for the first time before this season started that we wouldn’t get too concerned about the 40-point mark. We don’t take survival for granted but our genuine aim was to finish in the top 10.

"We considered ourselves good enough for that and the way things are going we might finish higher than that – let’s find out.

"The feeling was that clubs like ourselves and Southampton might benefit from the financial reality check in football. Some of the so-called bigger clubs couldn’t carry on spending money they didn’t have and they might come back to us."

As it is, Charlton’s victory against Everton on Saturday, without recent England debutant Scott Parker, leaves them sitting proudly in fourth spot – above the likes of Newcastle and Liverpool and in a different time zone to massive clubs like Spurs, Manchester City and Leeds.

Curbs is particularly proud that his squad has covered so well for the injuries that have beset the team this year and that class acts face competition for places, hence Danish star Claus Jensen sitting on the bench for the last three matches.

"Our fixture list swaps around now, we will play the top six away from home and teams at the other end of the table at The Valley. So our home form is vital. If we can do well there who knows what will happen," says Curbishley.

"But this league is tight – we all know that. It was only four games ago that we hadn’t won in six. If we had lost to Chelsea we would have been on a bad run ourselves, but we beat them 4-2 and suddenly we are flying again.

"I’ve had a strong bench for the last few of games with the likes of Jensen and Carlton Cole. There are disappointed people on the bench now, disappointed people being taken off the pitch. That’s life.

Kevin Lisbie and his Charlton mates celebrate"Last year we were sixth with eight games left and fell away. But the squad this time has already stood up because we have been playing with four or five out most weeks.

"It is disappointing we are fourth and don’t have the money to spend in the transfer window but I’m not that frustrated because I knew the score at the start of the season.

"The squad has held firm so far and we’ve got people like Kevin Lisbie to come back soon.

"The one thing about having injuries and being left a small squad is that it gives every fit player light at the end of the tunnel – they train knowing they could be on the bench or in the team for the next match."

One disappointment for Curbishley was The FA Cup defeat at Gillingham. He hasn’t had a decent cup run since taking over at Charlton – and doesn’t know why.

"Eight of the players at Gillingham were in the team that beat Chelsea so it wasn’t really a weakened side. I was just very disappointed with the performance and result, and so were the players.

"I did say to the chairman the following week let’s spend £20million we haven’t got and go into administration like other clubs have done. But obviously we wouldn’t do that."

Charlton might not have the biggest crowds in the Premiership or boast the leading goalscorers – Jason Euell with six leads the way at The Valley. But when it comes to team planning, it’s good to see an English manager leading the way.