Burnley V SAFC Burnley striker Danny Ings misses out with a hamstring injury. Matt Taylor is also ruled out with a niggling Achilles problem but loan duo Nathan Chalobah and Michael Keane could make their debuts. Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has no new injury problems but could make changes in search of a first win of the season. Billy Jones, Will Buckley and Jordi Gomez are among those men pushing for starting places, with Connor Wickham set to retain the role of lone striker. MATCH PREVIEW It has been an anxious start for both clubs, who are still looking for their first victory, and for Burnley especially this is one they need to win ahead of trips to West Brom and Leicester. Unlike Sunderland, theyve shown few signs that theyll score enough to stay up. If theyre still looking for an opening triumph after this run of three games, history indicates theyll go straight back down. The hamstring injury suffered by Danny Ings at Palace last week has come at the wrong time. With Sam Vokes a long-term cruciate ligament victim, their 47-goal pairing from the promotion season is missing. Its a big ask for Marvin Sordell to carry the scoring burden as he probably starts in the league for the first time in Burnley colours. Scoring goals is a problem for Burnley, who have not found the net for 380 minutes in the league since the 14th-minute of their opening game of the campaign. Losing Danny Ings to a hamstring injury is a further blow. Read Lawros full prediction and score Burnley have brought in plenty of top-flight experience in Steven Reid and Steven Ward and added some good youngsters in Nathanial Chalobah and Michael Keane. Sean Dyche is an excellent man manager and coach, and his side had the tightest defence in the Championship last season. Full-back Kieran Trippier has correctly praised the back-to-back clean sheets. But they wont stay up unless they start scoring. The club is punching above its weight right now. The Clarets must get wins in a hurry. Their victory over Sunderland when they last met at Turf Moor was their first in 15 meetings against the Black Cats, who start as favourites for this clash because of their extra creativity, experience and firepower. Sunderland havent won yet but theyve lost just twice in their last 11 games. They should have too much for Burnley, especially if Connor Wickham can rediscover his spring form of five goals in six relegation dog-fight games. But if Burnley can start at a high tempo, and get early balls into the heart of a Sunderland defence that hasnt rediscovered the solidity of late last term, then a first Premier League home win at Turf Moor since May 2010 could be on. That season they gave themselves a chance by winning their opening four home games. Its deeply concerning that theyre still waiting this time around. MATCH FACTS Head-to-head Burnleys win the last time they hosted Sunderland (September 2009) ended a run of 14 games without a win against the Black Cats. Sunderland have made just one trip to Burnley in the Premier League but their first visit to Turf Moor was September 1890, where they earned a 3-3 draw. Burnley Burnley have scored just once since their return to the top flight, and have failed to find the net in their last three league matches. The last time Burnley were in the Premier League, they won two of their first three matches; this time around they are still waiting for their first win after four games. Burnley have at least kept two consecutive clean sheets after conceding in the previous 29 Premier League matches. Steven Fletcher, who now plays for Sunderland, remains Burnleys leading all-time Premier League scorer (eight goals). Sunderland Sunderland are yet to win in the league in 2014-15 but, with three points, they have made a better start than last season when they earned just one point from their first eight matches. The Black Cats have kept only one clean sheet in their last nine away matches in the Premier League, conceding more than one goal on six occasions. Sunderland have lost only one of their last five Premier League away games (W2, D2, L1).
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 08:11:28 +0000
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