With Burnley set for a FA Cup replay against Sunderland, it is time to look at why it would not be the worst thing in the world for Dyche’s men.
As we all know, it has been a pretty strong season so far for Burnley. Under Sean Dyche they have made a brilliant start to life back in the top flight, and they are gaining more and more praise as the weeks go on.
However, a drab 0-0 draw against Sunderland in the FA Cup at the weekend means that they are forced to play a rather sigh-inducing replay against the Black Cats.
Thankfully though, it will not be the end of the world for the Clarets. If you take a look at their schedule following the Sunderland tie, they travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal in a clash that not many will expect them to win. Given their position in the table, the crunch games for Burnley right now are against their fellow relegation candidates as opposed to the big boys.
The real pressure is on the Gunners for this one considering that their title push is slowly slipping away. With a full five days to prepare in comparison to the usual three or four, there is also the possibility for an upset should Burnley set themselves up in a defensive manner against Wenger’s men.
People tend to expect managers to rest players in games such as replays due to the fact they are considered to be unnecessary clashes, but that shouldn’t be a problem here either way.
The FA Cup is not a priority this season and while it is a bit of a nuisance, it gives them yet another chance to analyse a team they face once again in mid-March. By that point, both teams could still be right in the thick of it when it comes to battling for survival.
So whether Burnley go through or not it is a win-win situation in reality, because they get to test the waters against Sunderland in a game that is not overly important while also not having to stress about a relegation six-pointer taking place the weekend after.
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