Scott Parker’s Clarets host the league leaders at Turf Moor
Scott Parker’s Clarets host the league leaders at Turf Moor
Scott Parker believes Burnley can take confidence from their previous clashes with the Premier League’s big beasts into Saturday's meeting with Arsenal.
The Clarets were given a tough reintroduction to life in the top flight with matches against Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City among their early fixtures.
They lost all of them but came agonisingly close to securing points against both Liverpool and United, conceding stoppage-time penalties.
“Every single game we’ve been involved in this year, there have been parts where I look at us and I think, ‘We’re hugely competitive here, we’re right in this game’, said Parker.
“It’s a squad constantly learning, I do see a progression, at the weekend I thought it was the best we’ve played with the ball. It’s those experiences that we’ve been through that are improving us and hopefully we keep nudging on.”
Burnley have capitalised on their opportunities against the rest of the league, beating Sunderland, Leeds and Wolves, and Parker called on the home fans to play their part at Turf Moor this weekend as they take on the league leaders.
“While we’re up against a very good team, we need to have a real understanding of what this team don’t want to face,” he said.
“We’re going to need to bring absolutely humongous energy into this stadium, our players are going to need to bring unbelievable spirit, and, with that, we’ll try and make it as uncomfortable (as we can) and try and get a result.”
While Parker knows he will have to try and stop the Gunners’ set-piece juggernaut he believes Mikel Arteta’s side deserve more credit for other areas of their game.
The Gunners are sitting four points clear at the top of the Premier League table with seven wins and only one defeat from their nine games so far.
They have conceded just three goals, while 11 of their 16 goals have come from set-pieces ahead of Saturday's clash.
“Of course we’ll work on that and we’ll try to work out how we can best limit their success,” said Parker. “They’re good at them.
“A team that are sitting top of the Premier League, or a team like us last year, if anyone thinks it’s because Arsenal just score from corners, or us last year got 100 points from not conceding and having this defensive bedrock, they’re so far from it. I see a fluid team, an unbelievably well-coached team, a team that solves situations.”
It will be a meeting of in-form sides, with Burnley having registered successive victories against Leeds and Wolves to pull five points clear of the relegation zone.
“It’s obviously been a very good few weeks for us, back-to-back wins and an away win as well, so there’s a real confidence and a real buzz around the place,” added Parker.
“It’s still the early part of the season, there’s a long way to go and the consistency of us and the consistency of many teams will be the deciding factor. Some really good early signs, which is very encouraging.”