Sean Dyche has vowed Burnley will not shy away from the formidable challenge of facing Manchester City in their own back yard when they make the short trip to the Etihad on Saturday.
The defending Premier League champions have not made quite as spectacular a start as last season but are unbeaten and should be back at full strength against the Clarets.
Burnley have not beaten City away since 1973 but can take encouragement from recent performances, coming back from two down to draw at the Etihad in 2014, while they drew 1-1 at Turf Moor in February.
Dyche said: “We know how good they are, everyone knows that. It’s not hard to work out. We certainly go into these games open-minded. We know the challenge, we know the statistics, and all the stuff everyone talks about.
“We’ve got to go out and take on the game, which we have done. There’s only been a couple of blips. This season a couple I put down to fatigue and over the last few seasons we’ve been at least competitive in every game. I think that’s a key marker for us to go there with a competitive mindset.
“It’s easier in a way for us because it’s obvious you have to take on the challenge, because they’re top class. No one would have thought we’d have got the 2-2 when we were 2-0 down there a number of years ago. And at the end of the game we deserved it.”
Much of the attention will be on the first return to the Etihad of keeper Joe Hart, while defender Ben Mee is another former City man in the Burnley ranks.
Burnley went into the international break having put a poor start behind them by taking seven points from three games.
There was disappointment, though, with their performance levels against Cardiff and particularly Huddersfield, and Mee knows they must improve as they prepare to take on City and Chelsea back to back.
“We were a bit disappointed with the performance overall,” said Mee of the draw with Huddersfield. “But we got seven points out of nine so it was a good little run.
“Sometimes you look forward to the break and think it comes at a good time but it was a bit indifferent really. We’ve had a good few sessions, lads have been away on international duty and we look forward to the next few games, a couple of big games coming up for us.
“I think we can push on and get our performances (right). It’ll be really good to see where we’re at and see if we can get anything against these two big teams.”
Steven Defour is likely to be in the squad as he looks for a first Premier League appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in January while Robbie Brady and Ben Gibson are closing in on full match fitness.
The control Defour provides in midfield is something Burnley have certainly missed but Dyche insisted he will not walk back into the side.
“He’s a very good player, everyone knows that,” said the Clarets boss. “I think he was really coming into his own last season but behind that he knows he’s got competition, the other midfielders have done well over that nearly a season that he’s been out, so he’ll have to earn the right first.”
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