Burnley welcome Sunderland to Turf Moor on Saturday in a meeting between two clubs looking to establish themselves after recent promotions to the Premier League. Both sides had contrasting opening weekends: Burnley suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat at Tottenham, while Sunderland started brightly, dispatching West Ham United 3-0 in front of an enthusiastic Stadium of Light crowd.
- Date: 23/08/2025
- Kick-off: 3:00pm
- Location: Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley’s main challenge this season is to translate last year’s exceptional Championship defensive record into Premier League results. Their solidity in the second tier, only 16 goals conceded, was a strength, but facing higher calibre attacks has already exposed some vulnerabilities. The performance of the defenders will be crucial, with Maxim Esteve needing to make the step up, while new boy Kyle Walker will need to bring all of his quality and experience to the table.
Manager Scott Parker is still seeking consistency from his squad following notable player departures and injuries, and it may take a few weeks to see the best of his team. Jaidon Anthony looked a handful in attack and new signing Armando Broja is en route back to full fitness, but Burnley lacked clinical finishing at Tottenham and will look to improve their conversion rate against Sunderland.
Sunderland have rebuilt their squad over the summer, spending heavily under new manager Regis Le Bris. The momentum from last weekend’s comprehensive win has given supporters optimism, with new faces bedding in quickly and the side showing disciplined pressing and organisation. New boys Habib Diarra and Granit Xhaka looked excellent in midfield, but crucially for Sunderland, many of last season's heros looked comfortable at the level, most notably defender Dan Ballard, who was a rock at the back.
Recent head-to-head records favour Sunderland, who took points in both meetings with Burnley last season, including a strong performance at Turf Moor with a clear xG advantage. Still, though, Burnley were unbeaten at Turf Moore last season, and while they lost 3-0 to Tottenham last weekend, they looked good at points. Ultimately, this game looks primed for a share of the spoils.
Burnley 1-1 Sunderland
