SEAN Dyche insists Burnley will measure themselves on a season's worth of games instead of reading too much into tomorrow's opening day clash with Chelsea.

On paper the Clarets have been handed the toughest possible start with a trip to Stamford Bridge to face the champions, but it's not all been plain sailing for the Blues during pre-season, with Diego Costa still banished from the squad, Nemanja Matic having joined Manchester United and Eden Hazard out injured this weekend.

Dyche is still expecting a tough test against Antonio Conte's side as Burnley began a run of testing away games to start the season.

"They’re not drastically weaker by any stretch. They’re a fine side," he said of Chelsea.

“You could probably say there’s 10 clubs whose main focus is being in the Premier League. As the season progresses there’s ups and downs and ins and out behind that, so we look at the whole season.

“You can’t just think it’s about playing Chelsea, our first five or six away games are tough on paper.

“You have to take them all on at some point. There’s an obvious run of tough games coming at the beginning of the season, that’s the way it is, you just get on with it.

“You can’t measure yourself on one game, it’s on a full season’s worth."

Conte had described the Clarets as 'rough' earlier this week, but it was a description Dyche took positively.

“It couldn't be anything other than a compliment if you look at our stats of bookings and suspensions," he said.

“I think he knows a team usually is in a game, sometimes you’re not, but usually you’re in a game for the full duration of it."

Burnley will head to West London having ended their wait for a Premier League away win at the 18th attempt last season with a 2-0 success at Crystal Palace.

"It’s very difficult away in the Premier League full stop," Dyche said. "It’s very rare anyone at our end of the table gets massive away points, it’s just that win, if you get one win early doors it kills everything off.

"It’s points on the board for us. There’s no grand statements from us. Are we looking to edge it forward? Yes. Is that the reality of our challenge? Yes. It’s unlikely we’re going to take huge jumps forward at a club like this.

"It’s a continuation of the things you’ve seen over the last four years. How far can we continue to take it and adjust it along the way? That’s the key, when to adjust it and how to adjust it. And now, it’s virtually always down to finance. It’s quite obviously not a level playing field."

Dyche has an almost fully-fit squad to choose from, although new signing Phil Bardsley remains slightly short of match fitness despite playing 90 minutes for the Under-23s against Derby County on Tuesday.

"He’s injury free, but he had his first 90 mins on Tuesday. He’s not got real game readiness," Dyche said.

"We’ve got no other concerns, everyone was out there on Thursday. It’s just a few aches and pains."