Clarets ready to face one of the big guns

This is the first away trip to one of the bigger clubs in the Premier League. Previously we've visited Swansea, Palace, West Brom and Leicester, all of whom we've played outside of the top flight in recent years.

Arsenal have always been a big club during the years I've been watching football and are one of only two clubs who haven't been outside of the top league in those 54 years, the other being Everton.

Sean Dyche side today that playing games at such as Arsenal is what we all wanted. I couldn't agree more with him. It's a difficult task, almost daunting for a side still looking for a first win of the season, but I'll be very proud watching my team stride out tomorrow onto the Emirates pitch to play in a Premier League game.

Scott Arfield is under no illusions but positive

It's my third visit there, the other two coming on the first Sunday in March in 2009 and 2010, the first in the FA Cup and a year later in the Premier League when David Nugent scored our only goal to date at their new stadium.

It's an impressive stadium to look at but perhaps doesn't afford the best of views for those seated too close to the front. Fortunately I'm a fair way back tomorrow.

Never mind the Emirates; I used to love going to Highbury. I didn't go often but it was a ground with a bit of class about it, certainly the marble hall that I was able to get a glimpse of on my first visit at the start of the 1970s.

As much as I'm looking forward to my visit tomorrow, it is, for us as it is for every other team, about collecting points and four points from the opening nine games is a return somewhat less than we'd hoped for.

I don't like being the bottom of the league. I didn't expect us to be riding high at the top but I was hoping that we wouldn't already be five points from the safe position of 17th, currently occupied by Leicester.

We can't let our heads drop either on or off the pitch and it was good to hear Scott Arfield yesterday confirming that the positive mood within the squad remains just the same as it was at the start of the season.

He, like the rest of us, knows just how important that first win is. "It's a win we're desperate to get but we were under no illusions as to how hard this season was going to be," he said.

"Every game is going to be tough home and away. We've given a good account of ourselves over the duration of the games and we'll look to take that forward."

And on the trip to Arsenal, he added: "I think when you go there you need to stick to a game plan because we know how good they are and the quality they possess, but if we go there and stay compact and stay in the game then you never know what can happen."

Arfield admitted: "We're all staying positive and we know it will come."

The best news for Burnley is that Dean Marney is fit. He's trained all week and, although there has been no confirmation, I'd be surprised if he wasn't in the starting line up tomorrow.

Steven Reid is back in full training too but won't be considered for this game. He'll be one of just three players unavailable alongside Sam Vokes and Matt Taylor with Taylor expected to be the last to return.

It's difficult to determine what the team may be. Will he stick with the two forwards or will Dyche, on this occasion, set up with an extra midfield player with such as Arfield and George Boyd being tasked with supporting the lone striker.

If so, we could line up: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Stephen Ward, Nathaniel Chalobah, Dean Marney, David Jones, Scott Arfield, Danny Ings, George Boyd. Subs from: Matt Gilks, Michael Keane, Ben Mee, Ross Wallace, Michael Kightly, Lukas Jutkiewicz, Marvin Sordell, Ashley Barnes.

Arsenal are currently fifth in the table with 14 points from their nine games. Incredibly, the last time they finished a season as low as fifth was in 1995/96. the year before Arsène Wenger became manager.

In his 18 years in charge they've been Premier League champions three times, they've finished second on another five occasions, ended in third place four times and in fourth position in six seasons.

The problem is for Wenger is that they haven't won it since 2003/04 when they were unbeaten throughout the season and they haven't had even a second place finish since the following season of 2004/05. But their overall record shows what a tough afternoon is in store for us tomorrow.

They have been beaten just once this season and that was a 2-0 reverse at Chelsea four weeks ago; at home they remain unbeaten but their opening day victory over Crystal Palace was their last win at home, the three games since against Manchester City, Spurs and Hull have all ended in draws.

They are not without their injury problems tomorrow. Jack Wilshire has been ruled out with a knee injury and alongside him in the treatment room are Mathieu Debuchy, Abou Diaby, Oliver Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Yaya Sanogo.

Kieran Gibbs, however, is expected to pass a fitness test but Wenger has hinted that fit again Theo Walcott won't play.

Don't let that fool you into thinking they will have a weakened team out. I spoke to an Arsenal fan this evening who, given that Gibbs is likely to play, said they could line up: Wojciech Szczesny, Calum Chambers, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal, Kieran Gibbs, Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez, Danny Welbeck.

Last Time We Were There

That last visit to the Emirates came in March 2010. We'd won just one of our previous 16 league games and only Portsmouth were keeping us off the bottom of the league. Arsenal, meanwhile, were one of the three clubs, with Manchester United and Chelsea, running away with things at the top.

Brian Laws made four changes from the side beaten at home by bottom club Portsmouth. All of Andre Bikey, Wade Elliott and Robbie Blake were relegated to the bench whilst Steven Fletcher pulled out with an injured hand, his first miss of the season.

David Nugent scored our goal

Graham Alexander was fit to return following the injury at Bolton and came in for Bikey whilst Jack Cork and Chris Eagles were preferred to Elliott and Blake. David Nugent, unable to play against his parent club in the previous game, returned for Fletcher.

For over half an hour we battled hard and Brian Jensen had little to do in goal. That was until a brilliant link up between Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas led to the latter opening the scoring with one of the best goals scored against us all season.

Nicklas Bendtner had a chance to add a quick second but saw his shot off target and we got to half time just a goal behind.

He missed another chance at the start of the second half and it looked as though it might be costly when we went down and, against the odds, equalised. Eagles made a good run down the left and got the ball into the box. It reached Martin Paterson but he couldn't turn it back in and Arsenal cleared.

The clearance only reached Leon Cort whose header forward found Nugent. The ball wouldn't come down for him but he was able to lob it over Manuel Almunia and we were right back in the contest.

We were level for ten minutes before Theo Walcott got a shot across Jensen and into the bottom corner. Behind again but we gave it a really good go with substitute Steven Thompson coming close to a second equaliser.

That second equaliser wouldn't come and in the fourth minute of stoppage time they made it 3-1 through Andrey Arshavin.

It had been a much better performance but it was another defeat to keep us down in the bottom two.

The teams were;

Arsenal: Manuel Almunia, Emmanuel Eboue, Mikael Silvestre, Thomas Vermaelen, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas (Abou Diaby 39), Denilson, Tomas Rosicky (Andrey Arshavin 60), Theo Walcott, Nicklas Bendtner (Eduardo 74). Subs not used: Lukasz Fabianski, Armand Traore, Bacary Sagna, Craig Eastmond.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Leon Cort, Danny Fox, Graham Alexander (Andre Bikey 65), Martin Paterson (Steven Thompson 74), Jack Cork, Kevin McDonald (Wade Elliott 53), Chris Eagles, David Nugent. Subs not used: Nicky Weaver, Michael Duff, Stephen Jordan, Robbie Blake.

Previous Games against Arsenal

Click HERE to see all previous results against Arsenal