YOU couldn’t have asked for a much tougher start to life in the Premier League than Burnley’s first three games, but they can look at what they got as a point gained.

I thought they played very well against Manchester United and they could have nicked it really, they could have been 2-0 up inside the first 10 minutes.

Playing Chelsea and United at home, and Swansea away, is a very difficult start. The next couple of games are winnable though, but there is nothing easy in this league.

It would be great to get that first win of the season but Crystal Palace is a difficult trip, it all depends on the teams on the day and who gets going best.

The sooner they can pick up the first three points the better though, and it is certainly achievable in the next two weeks, with Sunderland at home the week after.

A few years ago you would look at the league and you could immediately pick four or so teams who would be struggling, but that isn’t the case now, the standard has improved and there is a dozen or so teams that will all be fighting to stay up, and hopefully we will be good enough to survive.

They can certainly look at what Palace did last season as an inspiration. Tony Pulis did a superb job with them, the squad had been together for a few years and they knew each other inside out.

That is similar to this Burnley side. Most of this team played together in the Championship last season and they know each others roles and responsibilities.

Playing in the Premier League can only improve them as well, they can still get better as players and as a team.

Obviously things have changed at Palace since last season. I was shocked to see Pulis leave and I’m sure it must have been very strange for the players as well.

Sudden changes like that can affect the whole club, especially so close to the start of the season.

Some of the players will now be getting used to Neil Warnock, he is a very vocal manager and it will be a big change for some of them, but he believes in what he is saying.