Steven Caldwell believes a clash with the Premier League leaders is the type of task Burnley need to get over their Blackpool hangover.

The Clarets captain is still smarting from what he has labelled "one of the worst games I've ever been involved in" after crashing to a 3-0 defeat at Bloomfield Road.

Arsenal should beware the backlash.

"I really hadn't seen it coming. I didn't see 3-0 in the offing for us, off anybody, this season," said Caldwell.

"I just felt that Blackpool showed a lot more hunger than us, they wanted it more for some reason, and I think all of us need to have a look in the mirror and say did I give my best? Was there more I could have given?' - being really honest with yourself.

"It was very disappointing to be part of that team and skipper of that team performance, but it's a thing of the past now. We have to make sure we think about what we did wrong, improve on the mistakes and move forward."

And Caldwell sees no better game to launch that initiative than in their FA Cup third round tie with Arsenal today.

"I would have loved a league game, if I'm honest, to try and get three points and move us back up the league," the 27-year-old admitted.

"But it's good in a sense that the pressure's off us a little bit, although there's still pressure on us because we want to do well, we're at home, we've got people who are coming and expecting a bit of an upset, so there is that pressure.

"Arsenal's probably a good example of how we should play. There's no way we are the Arsenal of the Championship or anything, but the way they battle and earn the right to play ... and all of a sudden you think they've got the ball for a long time'.

"People that watch them might think it comes easily, but there's so much work and effort they put into that game to get into that position. The quality then seeps through the performance.

"I think that should be the same with us, we need to battle and fight, and then our qualities will show, our passing will start happening and we'll lift each other. It won't be a conscious decision to do that, it will be the natural ability of the team that just comes through. Arsenal do it every single week, with a tremendous pressure on them."

He added: "Whatever side they put out it's going to be fantastic. If it's their first 11 they are most definitely some of the best players in the world. If it's the young lads they're probably going to become the best players in the world but they're not quite there yet.

"It doesn't matter. They've got quality all over. But it's about us, it's about how we approach the game.

"If we're on top form we can do it, we can win. We can certainly get a replay."