BRIAN Jensen may have further enhanced his hero status with another unbeatable performance, but it was Burnley’s “twelfth man” the goalkeeper pointed to for a job well done against Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger’s young pupils had excelled in the Carling Cup after the Gunners came into the competition at the third round. But their comprehensive triumphs over Sheffield United and Wigan Athletic, with a total nine goals scored and none conceded, had been recorded on home territory.

Turf Moor, on a frosty Tuesday night, provided an entirely different proposition for the teenagers, who found themselves caught cold in more ways than one.

“We needed the fans to probably bully them a little bit,” said Jensen.

“In the last couple of (cup) games Arsenal have been at home and been absolutely tremendous with 60,000 behind them, but on Tuesday they had around 20,000 going at them.

“They probably helped us a little bit and we do appreciate that.

“Fair play to all of them - they were absolutely tremendous and were our 12th man.

“We knew we were going to be in for a hard task because, regardless of the players they put out onto the pitch they’re going to be a quality side. As you could see they were tremendous on the ball and really quick.

“But we were actually really good as well and we went one-on-one with their goalkeeper a couple of times too and probably should have scored a couple more goals.

“But at the end of the day we take a 2-0 win and it must have been a really good game to watch.”

In his pre-match press briefing, Jensen insisted he would rather be made to work by the likes of Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela.

“I hope for a busy evening but I don’t want six one-on-ones and be creating miracles,” said the 33-year-old.

It was a statement he almost lived to regret, however, as Bendtner alone had three one-on-ones saved by the infallible Dane, who was also more than a match for the best efforts of Mark Randall, Carlos Vela and substitute Jay Simpson.

“I should have kept my mouth shut shouldn’t I?!” grinned Jensen in the glorious aftermath.

“It was just one of those games where you think they’re simply not going to score.

“Merida had a chance just at the beginning of the second half and if they’d have scored there it could easily have been a different game.”

Burnley’s longest serving current player hasn’t had the easiest ride since signing on a free from West Brom in 2003. But, now in his sixth season at Turf Moor, he hopes to have converted his most fierce critics.

“With the ups and downs I’ve had here all the hard work is paying off,” he said.

“Regardless of having people on my back it just gave me a boost to work even harder and try to make sure I can shut them up.

“Hopefully they’re going to be on my case in a positive way now.”

His recent prowess has even raised the issue of international ambitions.

“Why not,” he said. “But it’s not up to me, it’s up to the international manager.

“At the end of the day I’m 33, so I think it’s out of the picture, but it would nice if they called up and said they could use me for a few days.

“It would be nice to put that in the little memory book.”

But Jensen would be just as content to earn a place in the Carling Cup final.

“We’re in a semi-final. It’s absolutely unbelievable and a great achievement. We’re absolutely buzzing,” he beamed.

“Nobody expected us to go past Chelsea and, let’s be honest, nobody probably expected us to go past Arsenal but the cameras were here so somebody must have thought there was the chance of an upset.”

But in occupying a strong position in the Championship, the prospect of competing against the like of Chelsea, Arsenal and third round Carling Cup victims Fulham in the Premier League is becoming increasingly realistic, and Jensen has stressed the need to retain their focus to make it a reality.

“We’re doing the right things but we just still have to keep our feet on the ground and take one game at a time and see how it goes,” he said.