Burnley vs Sunderland preview, team news and predicted lineup

Two newly promoted sides meet at Turf Moor on Saturday, with Burnley chasing a lift after an opening‑week setback and Sunderland buoyant after a sparkling return. Their last top‑flight meeting was in March 2017, a goalless stalemate at the Stadium of Light.

Scott Parker’s reintroduction to the Premier League began away to Tottenham, a club he represented for two seasons, and his Clarets were beaten 3‑0 in North London. It is a stark change from last year’s watertight march to promotion: Burnley posted a joint‑record 30 clean sheets, conceded only 16 goals and did not allow more than one in any of their 46 Championship fixtures. One afternoon back among the elite accounted for 19% of that entire total.

Back at Turf Moor the priorities are clarity and composure. Expect a firmer screen in front of the defence, better protection for the full‑backs and quicker service into the forwards. The home crowd will demand early bite, but Parker’s message is likely to stress control as much as intensity.

Sunderland arrive humming after an emphatic 3‑0 over West Ham United, a joyous welcome back to the big time after eight years away. Régis Le Bris has overseen sweeping change and trusted it immediately: seven of the club’s 11 summer recruits started, yet the scorers were familiar figures from the promotion run — Eliezer Mayenda, Daniel Ballard and Wilson Isidor.

That blend of fresh ideas and existing chemistry is encouraging. The Black Cats pressed with purpose, broke lines decisively and posed set‑piece threat, but Turf Moor offers a different test: an away assignment against opponents intent on resetting their standards.

Burnley enter the weekend still without Zeki Amdouni, Manuel Benson and Jordan Beyer, with the trio sidelined by ACL, Achilles and knee issues respectively. Connor Roberts remains a doubt after a knock, but there is encouragement as Armando Broja edges closer to “possibly being involved”. Axel Tuanzebe and Bashir Humphreys have trained this week, adding depth if minutes are needed from the bench.

Scott Parker opened at Spurs with a back five but is weighing a return to a four-man defence. That switch would likely shift Walker across to right-back and could see Oliver Sonne drop out, while Maxime Esteve, Hjalmar Ekdal and Quilindschy Hartman are candidates to retain their places across the back line. The decision may hinge on how much control Parker believes Burnley can exert in midfield and whether he wants an extra body to manage Sunderland’s wide threat.

Creatively, Josh Cullen was Burnley’s standout on matchday one. No Premier League player fashioned more chances than his five, a personal best for him in a league game for the club. He is expected to anchor the centre and link with either Josh Laurent or Lesley Ugochukwu, depending on the desired balance between bite and ball progression. Further forward, Marcus Edwards, Loum Tchaouna and Jacob Bruun Larsen are all pressing for starts after lively cameos, each offering a different route to goal if Parker opts to freshen the front line.

Sunderland’s list of absentees remains significant. Aji Alese and Luke O'Nien are still out with shoulder problems, Romaine Mundle has a thigh issue, Leo Hjelde continues his recovery from an Achilles injury and Dennis Cirkin is sidelined with a wrist complaint. Even so, there are positives for Régis Le Bris to draw upon as he finalises his selection.

Jenson Seelt is available after being forced off in the win over West Ham, but Le Bris could still hand new signing Omar Alderete a first Premier League start. The Paraguayan may slot in alongside Dan Ballard, who led his teammates on opening weekend for shots, shots on target, duels won, aerials won, fouls won and clearances, underlining both his threat at set pieces and his defensive command. That pairing would give Sunderland a blend of aggression and aerial security against Burnley’s direct balls into the channels.

Burnley: Dubravka; Walker, Ekdal, Esteve; Sonne, Cullen, Laurent, Hartman; Mejbri, Foster, Anthony

Sunderland: Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Seelt, Mandava; Sadiki, Diarra, Xhaka; Talbi, Mayenda, Adingra

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