'TO have and to hold’ read the headline on the front of Arsenal’s matchday programme in reference to the holders’ grip on the FA Cup.

Burnley tried to wrestle it from them, and after Sam Vokes cancelled out Calum Chambers’ opening goal on the half-hour they looked more than capable, in a rare outing as underdogs this season.

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But in the end the Gunners demonstrated the quality that has led to them not only being up there in the race for the Premier League title, but also lifting this competition’s silverware twice in succession, with hopes of a rare third.

Having set up the first goal, fit-again Alexis Sanchez did the damage with a 53rd minute winner.

Burnley were partially the architects of their own downfall by giving the ball away in the build-up and gifting Arsenal a devastating counter, but there was no denying the quality of the delivery or the finish in the Chilean’s first start since November after injury.

It served as a reminder to the promotion-chasing Clarets of the depth of talent they will face should they return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

But equally, Burnley did themselves justice, reinforcing the growing opinion that they are worthy of regaining their place at English football’s top table - as recent Championship results have shown.

Arsene Wenger, taking charge of his 1,100th competitive game as Arsenal boss, made nine changes to his side from defeat to Chelsea the previous weekend, but this was no slight on Burnley - not with a debut for midfielder Mohamed Elneny, the return of both Sanchez and Francis Coquelin after lengthy injury absences, and Olivier Giroud up front, although the Frenchman was largely anonymous.

Wenger was mindful of the threat that Burnley would pose having watched them execute a second half demolition of Derby County the previous Monday.

“We are fully aware that Burnley will give us an extremely difficult task,” wrote the Arsenal boss in his matchday programme noes, three columns of which were dedicated to his thoughts on the Clarets, and their manager.

“I think Sean Dyche has done a great job at Burnley,” he continued.

“He is a resilient guy who will be ready for the fight.

“It’s always difficult when you go down, you’re disappointed but he’s constructed a strong team.

“Their players will want to show they have the level to play in the Premier League."

And for the most part, they did, despite Wenger ultimately maintaining his record of losing only once to lower league opposition in 41 FA Cup ties.

The Arsenal boss had earmarked Gray as a danger man.

“It’s impressive what he has done,” said the Frenchman, although recognising the Clarets are not a one-man team.

“You can see that the danger comes from everywhere,” he added.

It was Gray who had the first chance though, sending a shot on the turn over.

Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sanchez were both wide of the mark with their follow-up efforts, but the 3,000 or so Burnley fans united in the ninth minute for a minute’s applause in memory of former title winning striker Ray Pointer, who died on Tuesday at the age of 79.

It coincided with another effort by Gray, which David Ospina had to beat away.

But from there Arsenal stepped things up.

Chambers had a shot blocked from Kieran Gibbs’ pullback and Oxlade-Chamberlain had a shot deflected wide before the deadlock was broken.

Chambers had only scored one senior goal before Saturday, against Burnley in the Premier League here last season, and he doubled that tally in the 19th minute with an exquisite outside-of-the-boot finish across Tom Heaton from Sanchez’s clever lay-off.

Sanchez tried to add a second but found his pathway well blocked by Michael Keane, and such resilience gave Burnley the base to mount a comeback.

Scott Arfield received the ball in a central position and was allowed to spray it wide unchallenged after Gibbs somewhat comically took the legs of team-mate Coquelin.

In possession on the right, Tendayi Darikwa swung in a superb centre. Keane leapt high to meet it, but it went over the defender’s head and dropped for Vokes to send a bullet header past Opsina on the half-hour for his seventh goal of the season and third in four games.

Despite a couple of chances for Oxlade-Chamberlain, it stayed 1-1 until the break.

Burnley asked questions of the home side in the early stages of the second half, with Arfield having a shot spilled by Ospina, which was collected at the second attempt with the midfielder following in.

But after trying to get on the front foot, they found themselves tracking back as Arsenal launched a devastating counter, which resulted in Oxlade-Chamberlain's pullback being emphatically buried by Sanchez.

The Chilean restored Arsenal’s lead and could have had more as he turned up the heat in his first start since November after a hamstring injury.

Elneny had chances too, on his debut following a January £5million move from Basel, while the might of Arsenal was demonstrated by the second half changes they made, with Mikel Arteta, Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott all coming on.

Still, Burnley were not overawed, and had Laurent Koscielny not scooped the ball out of Gray's path with his hand, prompting a booking, the Clarets' top scorer would have fancied his chances of an equaliser in a one-on-one with Ospina.

Arfield got in range, but blazed over.

Burnley substitute Joey Barton, who was roundly booed by the home fans, laid on another chance for Gray, but after sprinting through the forward put it wide.

Rouwen Hennings and Michael Kightly came off the bench too, but did not have the impact of Arsenal's alterations, and it required a brave stop at the feet of Walcott from Heaton to prevent a third in stoppage time.

Burnley were out, but Dyche was not down.

"There were a lot of pleasing things but, inevitably, you want to win, no matter where you are," said the Burnley boss.

"People on the outside don't think you have a chance, but we do, so we're disappointed not to get something from the game.

"But I was generally pleased with the performance."