Man United and that brings back memories

There is more on that game later in this match preview but once more we will be looking to get our points total off the mark against Manchester United, just as we did five years ago.

It's been an up and down period since our last home game against Chelsea. It ended in a 3-1 defeat with most observers were enthusing about a Chelsea performance that was so good it would have been very difficult to get anything from the game.

We did get the first goal, through Scott Arfield, but then came the twenty minute period of sensational football to which we really had no answer.

We won't come up against too many teams like Chelsea and that was evident last week when we travelled to Swansea. Having had a difficult first half it all changed after the break and we were so unfortunate not to come home with anything.

Tom Heaton ready to play against his first club

Since that game we've gone out of the Capital One Cup at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday and our attempts to strengthen the squad has given us another week of sheer frustration with players coming under the radar and then disappearing from it, usually with an improved contract at their existing club.

We've not much over 72 hours remaining to get players in, but at least there is another game to concentrate on tomorrow and, without doubt, one of the most attractive fixtures on the fixture list with the visit of Manchester United.

For two of our players it will be an opportunity to play against their first club. Both midfielder David Jones and goalkeeper Tom Heaton started their careers at Old Trafford. Neither made any league appearances for them although Jones did feature in one FA Cup tie and three League Cup ties.

Heaton went on to play on loan for Swindon, Cardiff, QPR, Rochdale and Wycombe before joining Cardiff permanently in the summer of 2010 where he spent two years before having a season with Bristol City prior to his move to Turf Moor a year ago.

He finally made his Premier League debut in that Chelsea game and now is looking forward to facing his old club at the top level. "I'm just happy to be playing them really," he said.

"When I left a few years ago the aim was to get back to the Premier League. Thankfully we've done that this season. I think it's the one I certainly first looked for, from the moment the fixtures came out.

"If I'm being honest I've a big affiliation with them, but you have to focus on the job in hand in the build up. We'll be trying to get the job right and I'll enjoy the moment after the game on Saturday, hopefully."

Our first choice goalkeeper missed the bulk of the match action in pre-season but got a game in against Hellas Verona and has played in both league games so far. He sat out the cup tie in midweek as Matt Gilks got a game in goal, but is expected to be back in the starting line up tomorrow.

Sean Dyche made seven changes on Tuesday but I suspect most of those, if not all of them, will be reversed tomorrow after the positive news that both Dean Marney, who missed the game, and Jones, who was substituted because of a knock, are both fit to play.

So it would be no surprise to see us line up: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, Jason Shackell, Ben Mee, Scott Arfield, Dean Marney, David Jones, Matt Taylor, Danny Ings, Lukas Jutkiewicz. Subs: Matt Gilks, Steven Reid, Stephen Ward, Ross Wallace, Michael Kightly, Ashley Barnes, Marvin Sordell.

Dyche has warned that this is a big, tough game and I don't think anyone would doubt that. Having said that, I don't think many would have expected to happen what has happened since Sir Alex Ferguson decided to call it a day at the end of the 2012/13 season.

David Moyes was chosen to replace him but didn't last a season. Ryan Giggs took caretaker charge, assisted by half of his team mates from yesteryear, and he then handed over to new boss Louis van Gaal.

Such was their 2013/14 season that they failed to qualify for Europe. Moyes, and new executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward came in for particular criticism over their inability to get players in during the summer 2013 transfer window.

This window, so far, they've made four signings. Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw were transfers set up before van Gaal's appointment but this week they've plundered the piggy bank in some style to sign Marcos Rojo and Angel Di Maria from Sporting Lisbon and Real Madrid respectively.

The big signings have come following a disappointing start to the season. They, like us, have lost to Swansea, United's coming on the opening day at Old Trafford. Last week they got off the mark with a point at Sunderland before a much changed side took a 4-0 beating at MK.

Di Maria is expected to play but Rojo can't until a work permit is obtained. He'll be joined on the touchline by Shinji Kagawa, who suffered concussion in the cup match, and the other currently injured players who are Chris Smalling, Shaw, Herrera, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and Jesse Lingard.

That sort of lengthy injury list would hit some clubs hard, but not United who carry a big squad and the current suggestion is that they could line up tomorrow: David De Gea, Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Tyler Blackett, Antonio Valencia, Tom Cleverley, Darren Fletcher, Angel Di Maria, Juan Mata, Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie.

Last Time They Were Here

Now to that last visit from Manchester United in August 2009. We'd opened our first ever  Premier League season with a 2-0 defeat at Stoke and now the reigning champions were coming to town as Turf Moor opened its doors to the Premier League for the first time.

Some were suggesting the defeat could be a humiliating one but Owen Coyle's team turned all such thoughts on the head.

A stunner from the Little Magician

Coyle made one change to the team beaten at Stoke with new signing Andre Bikey making his debut. That allowed Stephen Jordan to revert to left-back with Christian Kalvenes dropping to the bench at the expense of Richard Eckersley.

Not far short of 21,000 were inside the ground to witness a massive upset as Robbie Blake (who will be back tomorrow) scored his last ever Turf Moor goal.

It was a move that started on the right but a second Martin Paterson cross was headed out to our left where Chris McCann fed Jordan. The full back's cross was headed away under pressure from Paterson but only as far as our Little Magician who hit an absolutely stunning volley that no goalkeeper on earth would have got near to.

'Premier League class' is how commentator Martin Tyler described it as the ground, with home fans in the cricket field stand orchestrating everything, went absolutely wild.

Blake was almost the villain just before half time when he gave away a penalty, but when Michael Carrick's spot kick was saved by Brian Jensen you sort of wondered whether this was going to be our night.

Led by Clarke Carlisle, the defence was magnificent in the second half, although we had our moments, one when Wayne Rooney should clearly have been sent off for a foul on Tyrone Mears.

But it was our night - we had got our first Premier League points. Tyler described it as an immense night for Burnley Football Club and even Mark Lawrenson described our performance as magnificent.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Tyrone Mears, Clarke Carlisle, Andre Bikey, Stephen Jordan, Graham Alexander (Joey Gudjonsson 73), Martin Paterson (Chris Eagles 73), Wade Elliott, Chris McCann, Robbie Blake, Steven Fletcher (Steven Thompson 82). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Christian Kalvenes, Kevin McDonald, Fernando Guerrero.

Manchester United: Ben Foster, John O'Shea, Wes Brown (Gary Neville 71), Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra, Anderson (Antonio Valencia 59), Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park, Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen (Dimitar Berbatov 63), Subs not used: Tomasz Kuszczak, Richie de Laet, Paul Scholes, Darron Gibson.

Previous Games against Manchester United

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