Vincent Kompany on the importance of staying calm as Burnley head to Newcastle United

The Clarets head to St James’ Park this afternoon looking to claim their first win of the season having taken just one point from their opening five games.

The fixture list certainly hasn’t been kind to Kompany’s men, throwing up games against reigning champions Manchester City as well as their city neighbours Manchester United, plus further fixtures against Aston Villa and Tottenham.

The game Burnley did claim a result, meanwhile, came against Nottingham Forest where the Clarets were unfortunate not to win.

Assessing his side’s start to the season ahead of today’s clash against Newcastle, Kompany said: “Every game is big. You don’t know the order of when your points will come.

“They might come in a game you don’t expect them to and they might not come in a game you expect them to, so you take nothing for granted.

“I’d say, I’m a rational mind, I looked at the calendar… six out of the first eight games – until the international break – are against the big eight in terms of budgets, squads and everything they’ve assembled.

“Not many teams take points off them anyway. But that means at some point the other teams will arrive as well.

“Staying calm is big for me. Making sure that the performance against United, the result at Forest, are things we can continue.”

Kompany believes a trip to St James’ Park will provide a significant barometer of where his side are at as they enter into October.

“Newcastle is a big test if I’m honest. I’d always put it on the calendar as a big test,” he added.

“It’s difficult to predict because of the threats and the weapons they have, but there is something there for us in terms of having a good performance and hopefully a result as well.

“There are not many harder away grounds that are harder than that ground. I’m really interested in seeing where the team is against that level away from home.

“It’s something I’m looking forward to. If you play well at St James’, it’s not just about playing well, we want the result like every other game. It’s not arrogant to say that, why else are you in the Premier League?

“But a performance at St James’ Park should give you the feeling that you can perform everywhere in this league.”