Can Burnley build on this fine record as the Premier League resumes?

A 100-day pause on the current season comes to an end on Wednesday evening, as Aston Villa host Sheffield United, and Arsenal travel to Manchester City, while the Clarets are back in action on Monday night, June 22nd, when they make their shortest trip of the campaign to the Etihad Stadium.

Obviously, clubs have not had a typical pre-season, in terms of time back and intensity of training, or amount of warm-up games, but the three-month absence is similar to that usually experienced between seasons.

So, how will Sean Dyche's side fare?

The best way of looking at that, is to look at the results from a standing start each season.

And Burnley's results in recent years are impressive.

Indeed, only five of the current Premier League clubs have claimed more points on average than the Clarets over the last five opening days of the season.

In 2015, Burnley came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 against Leeds United at Elland Road, with a thumping Sam Vokes header - as they started their Championship-winning season with a point.

Back in the Premier League after promotion, in 2016, they opened up with a 1-0 defeat at home to a Swansea City side including Jack Cork.

However, 12 months later, they stunned defending champions Chelsea, winning 3-2 at Stamford Bridge, after leading 3-0 at half-time through a Vokes brace and a stunning Stephen Ward volley.

In 2018, on the back of a goal-less draw in Istanbul against Basaksehir in the Europa League, they travelled to Southampton to also earn a 0-0 draw.

And in 2019, at the start of this season - which seems a lifetime ago - Burnley thumped Southampton 3-0 at Turf Moor with two goals from Ashley Barnes and one from Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

That makes an average of 1.6 points per opening game over five seasons - only bettered by Manchester City and Manchester United - who have won all five for an average of 3, Liverpool (2.6), Spurs (2) and Wolves (1.8).

The worst starters are Newcastle United, who have one point for an average of 0.2, while West Ham are on 0.6, with four teams on 0.8 - Southampton, Sheffield United, Leicester City and Bournemouth.

Obviously Burnley will have a job on their hands to take anything from Manchester City, but while the Clarets' recent record against City is dire - losing eight of their last nine meetings - Sean Dyche has beaten the Blues in March 2015, when George Boyd's volley proved enough at Turf Moor, and twice held City, in December 2014, coming from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at the Etihad, before Gudmundsson earned a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor in February 2018.