As things stand, Swansea City are the lowest-ranked side that Sean Dyche's Burnley will face until mid-April. As they prepare to host Garry Monk's Swans at Turf Moor on Saturday, three points would be a much-needed boost.
"I hope he's not over-thinking it, I will encourage him to stay clear-minded"
- Sean Dyche
Burnley would be forgiven for succumbing to a tough run of fixtures in the coming weeks, and they still might - with Liverpool, Manchester City, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal to follow. However, manager Dyche has remained grounded and ultimately level-headed in light of the controversy surrounding the club after Ashley Barnes' contentious tackle on Nemanja Matic - described as Jose Mourinho as "criminal" - in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea last weekend. Barnes escaped an FA conduct charge, and Dyche has stood by his man, urging him to play his natural game. "I hope he's not over-thinking it. I will be encouraging him to stay clear-minded and get on with the football. It's all out of his hands, he can't do anything about it," he said.
Amidist the drama, Burnley did well to come away with a point, but Dyche knows his side have to scrap until the very last game if survival is to be achieved. Burnley are still just inside the relegation zone by virtue of goal-difference, level on points with Queens Park Rangers. Swansea's general inconsistences this season, however, could provide Burnley with the chance to come away with an all important three points come Saturday at Turf Moor.
"I have been quite hard on the players"
- Garry Monk
For Swansea manager Monk, there is no resting on their laurels after a historic 2-1 win over Manchester United last weekend. The result saw the Swans complete their first ever league double over United, and Monk has been targeting further records. "I have been quite hard on the players this week to make sure we maintain our standards," the manager admits, as his side look to break their Premier League points total record. "All good teams produce it consistently and that's what we have to aim for, it's about trying to back up a fantastic win with another performance."
Swansea know that a victory and a treasured three points against Burnley will get them closer to that coveted 40-point mark - the total usually required by a club to secure another season in the Premier League. It will also prove the quickest time they have reached this total, so there is additional incentive for Dyche's players. Whether they can overcome a Burnley side scrapping for every point at Turf Moor remains to be seen, but Saturday's game promises to be real battle.