Elliott wants Emirates trip as reward for giant-killing
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Your support makes all the difference.Burnley winger Wade Elliott has set his sights on a trip to the Emirates Stadium after Tuesday night's victory over West Bromwich Albion booked an FA Cup fifth-round showdown at Cardiff City or Arsenal.
Owen Coyle's Championship side bundled Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal out of the Carling Cup and came agonisingly close to overcoming Tottenham in an epic semi-final encounter.
One Wembley dream having died, another remains firmly alive after a 3-1 win over West Bromwich gave the Clarets their fourth Premier League scalp of the season and raised the prospect of a rematch with the Gunners. Arsène Wenger's men were beaten convincingly 2-0 at Turf Moor in December and Elliott, whose stunning volley set Burnley on their way to victory last night, is now hoping to face them on their own turf.
"It would be lovely to play Arsenal," said Elliott. "Obviously we've had a taste of it this year and going down there would take it to another level again. I don't want to prejudge the result of the replay between Arsenal and Cardiff but obviously it would be nice to for us to go to the Emirates. We would have nothing to lose and if we did get them, then that would be the attitude that we would take there.
"We went to Chelsea just after they had lost to Liverpool and won there. We played 4-4-2 with two strikers at Stamford Bridge and a lot of Premier League clubs don't do that, so I think we'd go to Arsenal with the same attitude," Elliott said. "We could go there, test ourselves and hopefully enjoy the occasion again."
Coyle has assembled an impressive side that could yet yield a return to the top flight for the first time since 1976. His reputation has soared since his arrival from St Johnstone in November 2007.
Robbie Blake and Elliott are arguably playing the best football of their careers and summer signings Chris Eagles, Martin Paterson and Steve Thompson look excellent buys.
The Clarets operate with one of the smallest squads in the Championship but Elliott added: "The spirit and the desire is superb and that comes from the gaffer. He sets the atmosphere at the club and we're fortunate that we've got a group of lads who get on so well.
"But we've got to because we are in each other's pockets. We room together, travel together and see each other every day, so it's a good group of lads to be around."
The Albion midfielder Pedro Pele was captain for the night at Turf Moor and admitted his side paid the price for not seeing off Burnley in the first game at The Hawthorns. The Clarets drew 2-2 in the West Midlands.
Relegation-threatened Albion reached the semi-finals last season but Pele said: "We didn't do our job well enough in the first game so it was always going to be a tough game for us in the replay. It was disappointing to lose given how we did last season and also, with all due respect, to a team from the Championship."
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