Preview: Burnley vs Sunderland – prediction, team news, lineups

The fight for valuable points as the race for the Premier League intensifies. Burnley will welcome you Sunderland to Turf Moor Fortress on Friday evening in the championship.

The Clarets are currently invincible on their own field ahead of their visit to the Black Cats, who are launching a surprise attack for a top-two finish in League Two this season.

Game preview

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After a hectic festive schedule in the hustle and bustle of the Championship, Burnley momentarily put their League Two efforts on hold last Saturday afternoon, securing a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup with success in League One Reading, although that was all other than easy Scott Parker‘s troops.

Lewis wingThis is followed by the equalizer for the Royals in the second half Lyle FosterThe first goal since August saw the contest go into extra time, where the Dutchman was able to fly Zian Flemming At the beginning of February he scored a brilliant brace to secure a draw at Premier League club Southampton.

Burnley are focused on league matters and are currently enjoying a 13-game unbeaten run in the second tier of English football, meaning Parker’s men sit second in the league Championship tablelevel on points with third-placed Sheffield United and just one point behind leaders Leeds United.

Having conceded just nine goals in 26 second division games so far, the Clarets have been nothing short of sensational in defence, and that record improves even further when all home games are taken into account, with the Lancashire giants conceding just four goals in 12 games at Turf Moor.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Burnley would be the odds-on favorites to win the Championship crown if they had a lethal centre-forward in their ranks, although Parker and co are instead relying heavily on the midfielder’s goalscoring ability Josh Brownhillwho has already scored nine times in the league.

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With the youngest squad in the division and a 16th-place finish last season, Sunderland have certainly secured surprise team status at the top of the Championship scene Regis Le Bris is aiming for promotion to the Premier League after suffering relegation with French club Lorient in 2023/24.

The Black Cats will not be distracted in their pursuit of a place in the top flight after suffering a disappointing afternoon in their last game on Wearside with goals coming from the transfer target Tom Cannon And Niall Ennis Stoke City secured a 2-1 win in the FA Cup at the Stadium of Light.

With a second division-only fixture list until the start of May, Sunderland are in fourth place for the season Championship statustwo points behind Friday hosts Burnley in second place and a full 11 points ahead of Blackburn Rovers in seventh.

Aside from a poor performance in the FA Cup against the Potters, the North East powerhouses have made a productive start to the new calendar year, securing back-to-back wins at the Stadium of Light in the Championship, including a 2-1 triumph over promotion rivals Sheffield United.

Having picked up just 24 away points throughout the miserable 2023/24 season, Sunderland have already picked up 19 points from 13 games this time around, with only the Clarets (28), Sheffield United (25) and Leeds (21) picking up more points their respective away games.

Burnley Championship form:

Burnley form (all competitions):

Sunderland Championship form:

Sunderland form (all competitions):

Team news

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Burnley remain without the services of the former Manchester United midfielder Hannibal Mejbriwho is serving the final game of his three-game ban for a red card received on New Year’s Day.

With the Clarets failing to make much of a splash in front of the net this season, head coach Parker is considering deploying South African international Foster on the left flank in the near future.

Still, Burnley are unlikely to be too different from the team that won at Blackburn in their last Championship game Jaidon Anthony should keep his place on the wing.

The hosts are doing excellently in defense despite the lack of a top defender with German Jordan Beyer Due to a problem with the thigh muscles, this term is not yet available.

Sunderland also have a number of key defensive players on the sidelines including Dan Ballard (Muscle), Jenson Seelt and legal defender Niall Huggins.

Securing a high-profile loan move from Italian giants Roma, Enzo Le Fee will be hoping to make his Black Cats debut at Turf Moor on Friday evening.

Burnley’s possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Roberts, Egan-Riley, Esteve, Humphreys; Cullen, Brownhill; Laurent, Sarmiento, Anthony; Fleming

Possible Sunderland starting lineup:
Patterson; Hume, Mepham, O’Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Mayenda, Aouchiche; Isidore

We say: Burnley 1-0 Sunderland

Having kept a clean sheet in each of their last four Championship games, Burnley are extremely confident they can repeat the trick against Sunderland on Friday evening.

The Black Cats performed admirably earlier this month when they beat promotion rivals Sheffield United, but we feel the Wearside side will fall short at Turf Moor.

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