Sunderland AFC v Burnley Preview & Match Thread

Source 1 never worked but Source 2 did

40,096 attendance today.

Dan Neill sent off for second yellow card

Full time 3 points, another clean sheet and top of the league.

Mundle is as good as Clarke and we still (reportedly) have 2 strikers coming ing before the window closes.

Watford in 2nd place on goal difference.

Match Report: Sunderland v Burnley


Sunderland players congratulate Romaine Mundle (centre) after his goal against BurnleyGetty Images

Sunderland last won their first three league games in a season in 1925-26

Sunderland made it three Championship wins out of three with a narrow victory over Burnley to record their best opening to a league season for 99 years.

Romaine Mundle grabbed the only goal in the first half to maintain their fine start under French head coach Regis Le Bris and match a feat last achieved by the club in 1925-26.

But the result brought an end to Scott Parker’s unbeaten start with Burnley as the side relegated from the Premier League last season suffered their first defeat in the second tier.

The Black Cats were forced to play the last few minutes with 10 men after captain Dan Neil was sent off for a second booking, but the visitors managed just a single shot on target to leave Sunderland as the early leaders of the Championship.

Despite opening with two wins under Parker, there has been a lot of transfer activity at Turf Moor in the last few days with Sander Berge, Anass Zaroury and Johann Berg Gudmundsson all departing.

Republic of Ireland defender Dara O’Shea could be next out of the door as he was left out of the squad, despite Parker having to fill the substitutes bench with two goalkeepers and three youngsters yet to play for the first team.

And they struggled to find anywhere near the fluency that had seen them score nine goals in beating Luton Town and Cardiff City in their first two games.

Sunderland had made one change from their thumping win over Sheffield Wednesday six days previously with winger Jack Clarke, on the verge of joining Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town, missing.

His replacement, Mundle, almost set up an opener within five minutes only for Chris Rigg to drag it wide.

But the 21-year-old broke the deadlock himself after 26 minutes, burying a shot past James Trafford after he cut back on to his left foot.

The Clarets had been second best and did not manage an attempt on goal until first-half injury time when Benin forward Andreas Hountondji headed wide.

They had more possession after the break but struggled to turn that into real chances - even after Neil was shown a red card.

After being booked towards the end of the first half, his second caution came for a late challenge on Clarets substitute Zeki Amdouni.

Sunderland will look to keep up their winning start when they travel to Portsmouth next Saturday, while Burnley must regroup for the east Lancashire derby at home to Blackburn Rovers on the same day in a lunchtime kick-off.