Sunderland is the first of two big home games

Today at 11:26 AM

Although we travel to Plymouth in midweek, we face two big home games either side of it with the visit of Leeds a week on Monday but, before that, Sunderland are here tonight.

Only three points separate the top four going into this weekend's fixtures. Leeds are a point clear of us and Sheffield United at the top with Sunderland in fourth place just a further two points away.

We've played all of the other teams in the top four away from home. We won at Leeds and Sheffield United but were beaten at Sunderland back in August when, it is fair to say, the squad was in some kind of turmoil with some players having gone, others ready to go including some desperate to go.

Since that day at Sunderland, we've been beaten just once in 23 league games in which we've picked up 46 points. A 1-0 defeat at Millwall is the only league loss since. It's all been boosted with our incredible defensive record which has seen us concede just nine league goals all season.

It's been the talking point for weeks as has the lack of goals at the other end. We will concede some goals in the remaining games but I do think there are goals to come from this team and tonight would be a really good time to start against a team that certainly concedes goals more easily than us.

In terms of the defence, Joe Worrall was brought in to play in the centre of it only for him to suffer an injury and lose his place to CJ Egan-Riley. Worrall played last week at Reading, and played exceptionally well, but will almost certainly stand down again tonight for the league.

Looking at the game, Worrall said: "They're in good form and so are we. They are going to be coming to our home, trying to get the win. It's a great clash to be involved in. It's something that we're really looking forward to and if we can put in performances like we have the last six weeks, then things are looking good for us.

"Every game is tough though, this league is relentless, and all games and players give you different challenges to overcome. But we do a lot of work in the week with and without the ball, set pieces, looking at how other teams are going to try and combat us and we do the same to them. These are the games you want to be involved in."

Worrall has been on the bench in recent league games and I expect he will be tonight. There have been no new injuries reported but Scott Parker is likely to move back close to the team that won at Blackburn having made those eleven changes last week.

That team was: James Trafford, Connor Roberts, CJ Egan-Riley, Maxime Estève, Bashir Humphreys, Josh Cullen, Josh Laurent, Jaidon Anthony, Josh Brownhill, Jeremy Sarmiento, Zian Flemming. Subs: Václav Hladký, Joe Worrall, John Egan, Lucas Pires, Tommy McDermott, Luca Koleosho, Lyle Foster, Jay Rodriguez, Ashley Barnes.

Hannibal remains out for Burnley but will complete his suspension following tonight’s game.

Having ended the 2023/24 season in sixteenth place in a season that saw them sack two managers, Sunderland, having appointed Régis Le Bris as the new boss, have been something of the surprise packet so far this season.

They are right up there with the fifth best away record in the division so far but at home it's even better with only Leeds ahead of them.

On their travels they've won five times, drawn a further four and lost four. The first of those losses was a shock, coming in a 3-2 defeat at Plymouth after they had won the first four games of the season. Watford, Sheffield United and Stoke are the other away games that have ended in defeat although they did reverse that Sheffield United result recently when they beat them at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland can add one to their squad with the recent signing of midfielder Enzo Le Fée in a loan deal from Roma. But they will be without defender Aji Alese who requires surgery to an injury sustained in last week's FA Cup defeat against Stoke. They could also be boosted with the returns of Dan Ballard and Chris Rigg with Rigg having featured in last week's cup tie.

In the last league game, they beat Portsmouth 1-0 at home with an Isidor goal. Their team was: Anthony Patterson, Trai Hume, Chris Mepham, Luke O'Nien, Aji Alese, Dan Neil, Jobe Bellingham, Patrick Roberts, Eliezer Mayenda, Adil Aouchiche, Wilson Isidor. Subs: Simon Moore, Milan Aleksić, Dennis Cirkin, Aaron Connolly, Leo Hjelde, Zak Johnson, Harrison Jones, Nazariy Rusyn, Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi.

One player from that squad who won't be involved is Aaron Connolly who has today signed for Millwall.

LAST TIME THEY WERE HERE

We were one game from the promotion clinching night at Middlesbrough when Sunderland came to the Turf a week earlier, held us to a 0-0 draw and became the only side to prevent us scoring in a game on the Turf all season.

In a game spoiled by the appalling Jarred Gillett with the whistle, it was a game we probably never looked like losing but the draw prepared us nicely for the trip to Middlesbrough.

The teams were;

Burnley: Arijanet Muric, Connor Robert, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jordan Beyer, Ian Maatsen, Josh Cullen, Josh Brownhill, Manuel Benson (Vitinho 83), Nathan Tella, Anass Zaroury (Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson 67), Ashley Barnes (Michael Obafemi 79). Subs not used: Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Hjalmar Ekdal, Jack Cork, Scott Twine.

Sunderland: Anthony Patterson, Trai Hume, Luke O'Nien, Danny Baath, Lynden Gooch, Dan Neil, Pierre Ekwah (Edouard Michut 64), Patrick Roberts (Abdoullah Ba 76), Alex Pritchard (Isaac Lihadji 76), Jack Clarke (Dennis Cirkin 88), Joe Gelhardt (Amad Diallo 64). Subs not used: Alex Bass, Joe Anderson.

LAST TWENTY SEASONS

2004/05
Away: L 1-2, Branch
Home: L 0-2
2006/07
Home: D 2-2, Lafferty (2)
Away: L 2-3, Gray (pen), Elliott
2009/10
Home: W 3-1, Alexander (pen), Nugent (2)
Away: L 1-2, Thompson
2014/15
Home: D 0-0
Away: L 0-2
2016/17
Home: W 4-1, Gray (3), Barnes (pen)
Away: 0-0 (FA Cup)
Home: 2-0, Vokes, Gray
Away: D 0-0
2019/20
Home: L 1-3, Rodriguez (League Cup)
2022/23
Away: W 4-2, Tella, Benson, Zaroury, Brownhill
Home: D 0-0
2024/25
Away: L 0-1