POLICE have issued a warning to hooligans ahead of Burnley’s Carling Cup clash against Arsenal next week.

More than 100 officers from across Lancashire Police’s Pennine division, as well as mounted police from the force’s Hutton HQ, will be on hand to maintain order at Turf Moor on Tuesday.

Club bosses hope the match, which is live on Sky Sports, will sell out and police expect a “carnival type atmosphere” among the more than 20,000 fans likely to attend.

However, Chief Insp Jeff Brown, match commander for the game, warned potential hooligans to behave.

He said: “We are not expecting trouble for this game but we are always prepared.

“We have been successful in the past in bringing the hooligan element to book and I can assure people that we would follow them again through the courts.

“Burnley fans are among the most passionate in the country. They are extremely supportive of their team and very proud of their club’s achievements. This match is a fantastic opportunity for them to showcase that passion.

“It is a great opportunity both for the club and its fans and we want to see everyone have a terrific time and hopefully witness some good old fashioned giant slaying.”

Chief Insp Brown also urged fans to set off for the game in good time to avoid getting stuck in the “bottleneck” at Turf Moor in the run-up to kick-off.

A win against Arsenal on Tuesday would put Burnley just 90 minutes away from a dream cup final trip to Wembley in February.