SEAN Dyche is delighted with the growth his side have shown this season as they prepare for another huge Premier League away game this weekend.

Last week the Clarets played in front of the highest crowd ever to watch one of their league games, with 75,356 spectators at Old Trafford, and Burnley won plenty of plaudits for an excellent performance, in particular a first half in which they were the better team.

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That follows impressive displays at big clubs over the Christmas period, when the Clarets drew 2-2 with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium and 3-3 with Newcastle at St James’ Park.

The big games keep coming though, and on Saturday Dyche’s side travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, before visiting Anfield in the first week of March to face Liverpool.

But Dyche believes his players can take confidence into those games from their performances on the road in recent weeks.

“I said to the players after (Manchester United) that we’ve got a similar group to what we had last year, obviously we’ve brought a few, but not many of our players have played at this level.

“Not many have operated regularly in this kind of stadium, to see that kind of growth, the belief in what they’re doing, in what we offer them, and to see that put into practice I think is fantastic.

“It’s the best part of what I do, I enjoy it. But I’m not naive, you have to win, you have to get points, that’s the job.”

Burnley haven’t won in 90 minutes at Chelsea since April 1971, when Steve Kindon’s strike gave them a 1-0 win.

But they did win a famous penalty shoot-out at Stamford Bridge during the memorable League Cup run of 2008/09, which ended in a dramatic semi-final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Things had started well for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side, with Didier Drogba giving a strong Chelsea side the lead on 27 minutes.

But Ade Akinbiyi netted nine minutes after coming off the bench on the hour mark to level the tie.

The match went into extra-time, and although Steven Caldwell was sent-off four minutes from the end, the Clarets held their nerve to take it to penalties.

It was Brian Jensen who was the hero, brilliantly saving from Wayne Bridge and John Obi Mikel to seal victory for Owen Coyle’s side.