Lancashire

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

If one moment summed up a listless Burnley performance it would be, when they were awarded a first-half free-kick midway inside the Sunderland half.

If it was not bad enough that they had conceded a sixth goal inside the opening 10 minutes of a league game this term, Burnley - having loaded the home penalty area with players to attack an expected delivery - instead went short. And they immediately conceded a free-kick in return when Florentino Luis blocked Chemsdine Talbi's attempt to close down the ball outside the box.

Sadly for Burnley supporters it was far from an isolated moment of poor decision-making which contributed to them failing to register a single effort on target.

Nor was it restricted to the way they tried to attack, with their attempts to play out from the back repeatedly inviting pressure and providing Sunderland with several opportunities to increase the margin of their victory.

With the basics of game management sadly lacking, far from leaving the Stadium of Light with hope, Burnley's prospects of Premier League survival appear to be an even gloomier proposition.

Burnley manager Scott Parker, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Really disappointed. We come to a tough place tonight, which we knew. We didn't really give ourselves a chance, really. The ingredients you need coming here, the real basics of the game, we fell way short.

"It surprised me. I've probably been here a couple of times this year where they've surprised me coming off the back of some good performances. Maybe it's easy to come out the back of Man Utd, Liverpool and Spurs, but tonight we were way short.

"I didn't see this performance coming, certainly where we've come from in terms of performances and the results we picked up. We were way, way short of ever being competitive in this division.

"I don't care who you play, if you're going to fall down where we fell short in terms of a lack of intent in everything we did at times...It looked passive at every phase. For that, you get dealt with what you get dealt with."

Burnley defender Kyle Walker, speaking to Sky Sports on what he makes of his side's performance: "Terrible. We've come here to get something from the game and got nothing, so as a club that's fighting for survival it's not acceptable.

"It's 22 men on a football pitch, it's about who wants it more, and they wanted it more than us.

"I'd say the hunger's there. The lads work hard day in, day out, the hunger's there, but sometimes football matches aren't won on hunger, they're won by using your head and playing the game of football.

"When certain situations arise in a game, you're meant to deal with them in a manner that's appropriate for that situation. We don't, for whatever reason, seem to do that."

Did you know?

• There have been 12 instances of a side failing to register a shot on target in a Premier League game this season with Burnley being responsible for four of those (more than any other team). Meanwhile, it was the first time Sunderland have prevented their opponents from landing a shot on target in a top-flight game since April 2016 v West Brom.

• Burnley have kept just one clean sheet in their last 38 away Premier League games, conceding at least once in each of their last 22 top-flight matches on the road.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Sunderland's performance

What did you make of Burnley's display?

Come back on Tuesday for a selection of your replies

Sunderland make two changes to the side that started their 3-1 Premier League defeat at West Ham on 24 January.

Eliezer Mayenda and Romaine Mundle drop to the bench with Habib Diarra andChemsdine Talbi coming in.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Ballard, Talbi, Brobbey, Alderete, Mandava, Diarra, Mukiele, Sadiki, Le Fee, Hume

Subs: Moore, Cirkin, Geertruida, Rigg, Mayenda, O'Nien, Mundle, Isidor, Jones

Burnley make one alteration to the starting XI from their 2-2 draw against Tottenham in the English top flight nine days ago, with Lyle Foster taking the place of Armando Broja

James Ward-Prowse, who joined the Clarets on loan from West Ham last week, is on the substitute's bench.

Burnley XI: Dubravka, Walker, Esteve, Tuanzebe, Ugochukwu, Foster, Edwards, Athony, Humphreys, Florentino, Pires

Subs: Weiss, Worrall, Bruun Larsen, Tcaouna, Flemming, Ward-Prowse, Broja, Mejbri, Laurent

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you what still needs to happen before the transfer window closes at 19:00 GMT on Monday.

Here are some of your comments:

Andie: We need a proven goalscorer at Premier League level - if only for the rest of our time in the Premier League. We make enough chances but fail to put them away game after game.

Fiona: We need someone who can score but decent strikers aren't for sale. So why are our best ones warming the bench? I'd get rid of the dregs of Kompany's spending spree as they're a waste of wages.

Phil: Not bother wasting money on transfers that will not serve them well in the championship next season. Offloading squad members that have not offer anything. Write off this season with a view to making lo ger term progress with recruitment and a cohesive plan.

Simon: We absolutely need a right-sided centre-back, but in an ideal world we would also be able to bring in another central midfielder and possibly either another winger or striker.

Andytom: We need a defender, a goalkeeper who controls his area, a defensive midfielder and a striker. All we have so far is Ward-Prowse and that is not enough. Both our academy sides are struggling so no help is coming from there. It looks like our horrible yo-yo existence will continue.

David: I'm so disappointed in Pace. He seems to think late deals are good, but in our predicament we needed signings early. Unfit signings are no good when you need them urgently. Unless we get a striker that knows where the goal is, we are done for. We have to win half our games left. We bought badly in the summer. Pace needs to sell up.

Ask us questions about Burnley and we'll put them to our experts

I relegated Wolves a few weeks back now - and I am afraid to say I think Burnley are down now too.

They performed with great spirit against Spurs when I was at Turf Moor last week, but it was another game they did not win.

Clarets boss Scott Parker said afterwards they need to change draws into victories, and of course he is right - but doing that is clearly difficult for them.

They were 2-1 up against Tottenham and so nearly got over the line for the first time since the end of October - but then came Cristian Romero's late equaliser, and you start to think they are never going to manage it.

Burnley have won only three league games all season, and one of them came at home to Sunderland in August.

The Black Cats will be without Granit Xhaka again, which is a big blow - they certainly missed him at West Ham.

But Sunderland's home form is still so impressive, and it would be a major turn-up if they dropped points here.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

See how Sutton has done across the rest of the weekend

Today is the final chance of the season for your Premier League team to do transfer business.

The window closes at 19:00 GMT, meaning teams - and fans - can avoid the usual late-night transfer scramble.

It has already been a busy window - for some teams anyway - but whether it turns out to be a day of transfer action or a pretty quiet one for your club, you will be able to keep across it all on BBC Sport.

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