BURNLEY will spend Christmas in the bottom three but there are reasons to be positive such was the performance in a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck early in each half for the home side before Ashley Barnes halved the deficit on the hour for a Clarets side who enjoyed the better of the second period. But they couldn’t make a breakthrough and Alex Iwobi sealed the points for Unai Emery’s men with a late third.

Turf chief Sean Dyche spoke of the loss at Crystal Palace earlier this month being the nadir of Burnley’s poor form and the Clarets have certainly turned a corner in recent weeks.

They beat Brighton and were unlucky to fall to a last gasp defeat at Tottenham last weekend while their Emirates display probably warranted a share of the spoils.

Dyche retained the five at the back system that contained Spurs for long periods but opted to play with two strikers with Chris Wood recalled to the starting XI.

The Clarets were without Steven Defour, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Robbie Brady and Aaron Lennon due to injury the quartet’s creativity was not missed as much as many feared with Burnley in the game until Iwobi’s stoppage time strike.

Arsenal had the first clear chance when Alexandre Lacazette twisted and turned Phil Bardsley and his cross was headed goalwards by Mohamed Elneny but Burnley were able to scramble clear.

The Clarets went straight up the other end and missed a glorious opportunity when Ashley Westwood broke through on goal but was denied by the outstretched boot of home keeper Bernd Leno. It was the sort of chance you have to take at top six opposition and Burnley were left to rue the error on 14 minutes when Arsenal broke the deadlock.

It was Aubameyang who scored but the goal owed much to the vision of Mesut Ozil, was restored to the Arsenal team and named captain.

The German had hardly been in the game in the opening quarter of an hour but he collected possession on the right edge of the area and threaded a delightful curling pass to Sead Kolasanic, who had got the wrong side of Phil Bardsley. The wing back was able to pull the ball back where Aubamenyang was on the move while the Burnley defence remained static and the Arsenal striker prodded past Hart.

Burnley responded well to falling behind and limited Arsenal to very few chances in what was an even first half. The Clarets were certainly carrying a threat and, an Ainsley Maitland-Niles effort apart, kept the hosts at bay.

Perhaps the two biggest scares on Hart’s goal resulted from Burnley mistakes. First Charlie Taylor’s attempt to keep an overhit James Tarkowski pass in play resulted in Lacazette springing forward but the Clarets recovered, before a heavy Ben Mee touch prompted another home move which was snuffed out by Kevin Long’s excellent tackle on Lacazette.

At the other end, Burnley had spells in possession but were struggling to open up the Arsenal backline.

Chris Wood and Barnes were working hard but struggling for clear sights of goal while the latter was also booked for a clash with Sokratis with the home fans calling for red.

As the half time whistle sounded the Clarets would consider themselves content with their performance but, within minutes of the restart, they were two down.

It was Aubameyang again with the finish but it came as Burnley pressed for a leveller. Jack Cork won the ball on the edge of the Arsenal box but Mohammed Elneny nicked it away from him and found Guendouzi who swept it on to Kolasanic. He fed Lacazette who advanced on the penalty area and squared for Aubameyang to rifle past Hart into the roof of the net.

It was a killer blow for the Clarets but to their credit they kept coming forward. It opened them up to flowing Arsenal counter attacks but Hart was not overly troubled.

Indeed the visitors could, and probably should, have had a penalty when Kolasainac pushed Long to the ground from a corner, although the incident came after the officials failed to spot an offside against Wood in the lead up to the set piece.

But Burnley, with Westwood and Cork leading the midfield charge, did find a way back into the game midway through the second half when Barnes slammed home after Arsenal couldn’t clear their lines.

Indeed the Clarets spurned a great chance to level with 20 minutes remaining when a neat move saw Wood feed Cork but the midfielder, who probably had more time than he realised, and his attempted right foot curler was wayward.

Dyche’s men continued to enjoy the better of the game but couldn’t find an equaliser and Arsenal wrapped things up when sub Iwobi scored in stoppage time after a neat Ozil run.