Burnley manager Sean Dyche provided an update on his selection choices ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Arsenal.
The lunchtime kick-off at the Emirates follows last weekend’s home triumph over Southampton where an Ashley Barnes double and a Johann Berg Gudmundsson goal lead the Clarets to a 3-0 win.
Too soon for “fit and well” Drinkwater
Heading into the game, Dyche has no new injury concerns but does have Charlie Taylor available again after missing the opening day triumph.
However new signing, Danny Drinkwater, is still unavailable despite arriving at Turf Moor in good shape.
“He’s fit and well, he just needs more game-time and he will get that in the next week or so,” Dyche confirmed in his press conference yesterday.
“We have some reserve-team football and he will definitely feature.”
Another missing the visit to the Emirates is Robbie Brady, who is still recovering from a rib injury suffered in pre-season, with Dyche also confirming “he is back on grass but we still have to be a bit more careful.”
“The feeling is there” for new skipper Mee
Captain Ben Mee was instrumental in the opening day clash with the Saints and has credited a good pre-season campaign with the good performance of the whole team.
“You could see that intense look that we worked on in training and in games,” Mee said.
“The feeling is there that might have been missing at the beginning of last year with the Europa League.
“The focus is completely on the Premier League and you can see that in everyone's eyes,” Mee told the Clarets website.
Keeping grounded will be key believes skipper Mee
The Clarets slow start last season saw the club flirt with the relegation zone all season, with the earlier start to the competitive campaign in Europe seriously taking its toll on the team.
Mee and the rest of his teammates want to show the league they belong here and the campaign two years ago wasn’t a fluke performance.
“It’s only one game in but we are determined to show everyone what we can do and how much we do deserve to be in this league.
“We want to do better than last year and be more consistent in our season.
“If we have the same sort of year that we had from January onwards, we will have a good season,” Mee continued.
The Clarets have suffered at the hands of the Gunners, not picking up a single point against the Gunners since the club’s first spell in the Premier League, 10 years ago.
“We always look forward to going there and I always feel we’re close to something, but for one reason or another we haven’t managed to get that,” Mee added.
“We’ve had a bit of bad luck there, but we generally play well there and we will go there with full confidence from the weekend and I don’t see why we can’t go and get something.
“Psychologically getting that first three points before these games against teams that finished in the top half of the table was massive and we go there with confidence we can get something from them,” Mee finished.
Steven Defour has upped his rehabilitation from injury and Dyche and the rest of the coaching staff hope to have the Belgian back fit before too long.
The Clarets face back to back away games at the Emirates and at Wolverhampton Wanderers before facing Liverpool at home before the International break.