SCOTT Arfield says Burnley will bounce back from their opening day defeat to title favourites Chelsea, and prove their Premier League worth.

The Clarets, widely tipped for relegation straight after clinching automatic promotion, were handed the toughest of challenges to mark their return to the top flight.

And, despite Arfield threatening an early upset by firing the home side in front with a superb volley in the 14th minute, Chelsea responded with three goals in 17 minutes to condemn the Clarets to a 3-1 loss.

But Arfield insists the outcome will not define their season, and is confident the Clarets can recover.

He said: “We believe we should be here. We’re here on merit. We deserve to be here, we’re not here to make up the numbers.

“People can say what they want but in that dressing room we believe in what we’ve got.

“We definitely believe how good we can play. It’s up to us to keep believing.

“We’re on to the next game now. With the fans behind us anything can happen.”

It is Swansea next for the Clarets with the Welsh side fresh from their weekend win at Old Trafford.

But Arfield is looking for Burnley to utilise their early learning curve, and on a personal note reap the benefits of a goalscoring start to the campaign.

“First game and first goal in this division, I’ve waited a long time personally,” said the Scot, who scored nine in Burnley’s promotion season.

“It was a good night. I’ve waited a long time to play in the top division and I enjoyed it.

“On a personal level that was different class and my family were down here from Scotland to see it too.

“They’ve stuck by me and they’ve waited a long time for that too, so it was a really special moment.”

On coming up against a Chelsea side tipped by many for the title Arfield added: “They are terrific players. They’re favourites for this division for a reason.

“We knew how tough a game it was going to be.

“The players they possess are terrific footballers, the brain moves a bit faster and they make the ball do the work, make the pitch big.

“It was there to see why they're favourites for this division, the way they moved the ball, the rotation in the middle of the park was brilliant at times.

“But it was up to us to keep our shape, and there are positives to take out of that performance. I think we did well.

“It was a decent performance for us.

“We can play a bit better but the way we shifted the ball at times in the second half put them under pressure and pressed them in high positions I think we got behind them, and the fans getting behind us helped as well.”