Match Day Thread Burnley FC v Sunderland AFC - Saturday 23rd August 2025 - KO 15:00

Sunderland travel to Burnley in the Premier League.
Last time out Sunderland beat West Ham and Burnley lost at Tottenham.
The Black Cats returned to the Premier League with and emphatic 3-0 home win against West Ham. Three second half goals from Mayenda, Ballard and Isidor rounded off a fantastic start for the Black Cats.
Jensen Seelt picked up a knock against West ham but is OK, Mukiele and Massuaku are both in contention and could be on the bench.

Burnley went all season in the Championship without conceding more than one goal in a game but suffered a 3-0 defeat at Tottenham on their return to the Premiership. James Trafford moved to Man City during the summer and was replaced by Mark Dubravka. New signing Kyle Walker made his debut against his former team.

Regis le Bris:
“It’s really important for two reasons, showed they can step up.
“We’ll see later, but today it was really important because they kept the identity of the club and the way we worked last season. We built this strength on togetherness, the way we work as a team. The players worked well as a team and they showed that again today.
“We didn’t change many important things at half-time. We spoke a bit about their goalkeeper restarts and our high press, we went for man for man, and they found two or three opportunities with long balls. So, it was really important to be strong in duels. We made just two or three little decisions, and it made a difference.”

Scott Parker:
"I thought there were plenty of positives to take, despite the defeat, We started slowly, we were really under pressure, but then after they got their noses in front, I thought we really grew into the game.
"There was a real impetus about us, we played on the front foot and looked a real threat, our reaction and endeavour was superb.
"The clinical and ruthless nature of the Premier League was then there for everyone to see just before the hour. We had two massive, massive chances, where we just weren't ruthless enough, and then they go up the other end, create a half-chance, and double their lead with a world class finish.
"They're the fine margins - that's this division really. I can't fault the lads at all. They played on the front foot, showed great endeavour.
"It'll be a massive challenge for us this year. Games like today won't define us - we'll learn, we'll bounce back, and we'll look forward to being back at Turf Moor next weekend."
Form:


Match Appointments:
Referee: Michael Salisbury
Assistant Referees: Daniel Robathan & Marc Perry
Fourth Official: Anthony Backhouse
Video Assistant Referee: John Brooks
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Gary Beswick


Team Lineups:
Sunderland AFC: Roefe, Hume, Seelt, Ballard, Reinildo, Xhaka, Sadiki, Diarra, Talbi, Adingra, Mayenda.

Subs: Patterson, Aldrete, Jones, Neil, Le Fée, Rigg, Roberts, Isidor, Guiu
Injured: O’Nien, Alese, Cirkin, Hjelde, Mundle,

Burnley FC: Dubravka, Walker, Ekdal, Brownhill, Hartman, Mejbri, Laurent, Edwards, Cullen, Antony, Larsen.
Subs: Ramsey, Pires, Flemming, Tchaouna, Ugochukwu, Weib, Worral, Foster, Sonne.
Injured: Beyer, Humphreys, Amdouni, Roberts.



Betting Odds:
Sunderland 21/10 Burnley 11/8 Draw 2/1

My two pence:
I’m pretty sure RLB will go with the same starting 11 if Seelt is OK, or he could start with Aldrete instead.
It's a great opportunity to get a few more points on the board.
I’m going for another win, 2-1 to the greatest team the world has ever seen.

Live Stream:
TBC

For all of our new Mexican fans - ¡Vamos, Muchachos!

Ha’way the Lads

 

No reason we can't win this.

Burnley were poor at Spurs and only had a few scrambled efforts, nothing like what we had against West Ham.

Parker's tactics much the same as last season whereas RLB will continue to evolve ...

... I'll be surprised if we don't win this tbh.

 

2-1 The Lads.

They have to try and beat us, and that suits us perfectly.

Diarra and Mayenda to net.

 

Reg will have a plan that'll enable us to come home with the points.
Confidence is high and another 3 points would be ideal. RLB will make sure the lads are focused for what will be a hard game...but aren't they all.
Great thread again RTB...HTL.

 

I know we’d probably all take a point from every away game this season but this a must win for me. Burnley are really poor and we have to capitalise, if we’re to stay up need to be taking 6 points from these. They’ll likely be playing a back 5 meaning we’ll have an extra body in midfield against Cullen and Laurent who are both poor at this level as it is.

Comfortable 2-0 win back to the north east full of confidence with 6 points going into the Brentford game.

 

Big chance for another 3 points this.

I think Alderete will come in from the start here. Would keep the other 10 the same. Although I wouldn't be surprised to see ELF come in to add a touch more creativity.

I expect them to play 5-4-1 again so we'll have an overload in midfield, we have to use that to our advantage. I back our front 3 to cause their defence problems, I expect our midfield to overrun theirs and I think our defence will be able to handle their forwards.

I think we're better than Burnley man for man, it'll just depend on whether we can break down their system. I think we will, 0-2 Talbi brace.

 

Not sure if Burnley is it but anyone think we may have a tighter / different system for some away games and tougher games?

 

Whilst the feel good factor from last week is still on everybody’s mind I think Burnley will prove a tough test. They got beat convincingly whilst their own support said the result flattered the opposition and Burnley were better than the score line suggested.
I think they will resort to what they know and try to make themselves hard to beat with a low block.
We will have to try and open them up(which I think we will) and look to breach the defence whilst staying very sharp in midfield to combat any counters.
My gut feeling is a 0-2 and another clean sheet.

 

Thanks for all your effort RTB well presented again as usual. I think RLB will go with Alderete to start as the second half proved against West Ham we are much stronger with him in the team and i would expect a new cameo for the last half hour with Giui.I dont think Burnley are as strong as WH but i didnt check on thier summer signings still i expect a 2 or 3 nil for us cats.As we are still not fimished with new signings i expect us to get stronger as the season continues, and we get used to the timing of forward runs, I think we are stroner that the Reidy era and look forward to the joy of us thrashing them pesky mags, especially at the horse punches horse grasing field Sid James Park.

 

Great thread as always @RTB

Going to be tough as we know Burnley will be strong at the back, but they have to come and attack us and that suits our strengths.

1-2 Talbi and Adingra

 

Thanks for the thread @RTB

Think it'll be a tougher match than some people think, but I think we'll be strong enough to overcome them.

 

This is SAFC so wont be as easy as some think

will say 2-1 us, Xhaka to score a piledriver

 

Every game will be tough this year.

 

I'm going 1-2, Xhaka thunderbolt and Adingra to get off the mark. I think Alderete will come in for Seelt as well.

 

It's away so think Burnley will see us as a must win and their opportunity to get 3 points in the board! This could lead right into our hands if we let them play tippy tappy football throughout the match and they start think that means they have us beat! No one in the championship broke with the speed and directness we did last week only team that came close was our lot last season! As Rooney said nearly everyone else tries to play possession football because it looks nice Sunderland were well organised at the back and broke quickly and effectively because it worked! We did it last season and the transfer window has been all about improving how well we do that this season! I still cant believe how the new lads looked like they had been in the teams for years!

0-2 to the lads!

 

Thanks as always RTB gona go 1-3 for the lads plenty of options for the scorer’s so I’ll leave this bit blank,it’ll be a hard game but quality will shine through, just need to find an establishment with the balls to show this live COME ON

 

I'd be shocked if he didn't the way he came on as a sub and strolled about making it all look easy! Some of the touches and passes he made were excellent!

 

Agree with folk who have said Alderete to start, looks a class above Seelt (who did well last week).

Be a tough game and feel its a huge game, win and Burnley will start to panic imo and it has us looking upwards

 

i think this will be comfortable, more so than people think aswell.

Emphasis is on them as the home team and itll work in our favour.

People laud this 24 point gap last season but in the head to heads it was even at worse for us, this game at the weekend is gonna destroy the 24 point gap myth and show everyone the strength of our recruitment.

Dream world scenario is a win to take into brentford at home who could be on 2L after villa this weekend.

In my book, RLB has the big game manager attribute and I don't think we've been poor in any big game, the playoffs, the league games against Leeds, Burnley, Sheffield etc.