Rabiu AminuDiarra and Talbi star as Sunderland cruise past Burnley to go eighth
Black Cats win 3-0 to extend league’s only remaining unbeaten home run to 12 matches
Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi played starring roles as Sunderland returned to winning ways with an emphatic 3-0 defeat of struggling Burnley.
Diarra has missed much of the campaign due to a combination of injury and the Africa Cup of Nations, which was also attended by Talbi. The duo were superb as the Black Cats stormed into eighth place.
Axel Tuanzebe’s early own goal – which came when he deflected in Diarra’s shot – set the tone for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Diarra doubled their advantage with a goal of his own midway through the first half, before Talbi curled in a 72nd-minute stunner.
Burnley’s winless run has now stretched to 15 Premier League games, and they remain 19th, 11 points from safety.
How the match unfoldedSunderland needed just nine minutes to hit the front as Diarra, on his first start since returning from his successful AFCON campaign with Senegal, saw his wayward effort diverted in by Tuanzebe following neat link-up play with Brian Brobbey.
It marked Sunderland’s earliest Premier League goal since May 2017, and though it was ultimately deemed an own goal, there was no doubt over the midfielder’s strike in the 32nd minute.
Nordi Mukiele’s centre deflected into Diarra’s path, and his sweeping finish had too much power on it for Martin Dubravka, who could have done better.
Tuanzebe was taken off at half-time, with Scott Parker then introducing Zian Flemming and Armando Broja just past the hour mark, but Sunderland would have added a third if not for Dubravka, who made a fine save to deny Brobbey, with Mukiele blazing over on the rebound.
Dubravka and Trai Hume were involved in an altercation soon after, but Burnley’s goalkeeper was picking the ball out of his net again when Talbi dropped his shoulder, cut inside from the left and whipped a stunning long-range strike in off the underside of the crossbar to add further gloss for Sunderland.
Black Cats back in businessGranit Xhaka was again absent through injury for Sunderland, who badly missed their captain in last week’s loss to West Ham United.
But Regis Le Bris’ side proved they are far from a one-man team with an utterly dominant display in front of their home fans, who are yet to witness a league defeat at the Stadium of Light this season.
That home form may be put to the test when Liverpool visit on 11 February, four days after Sunderland visit league leaders Arsenal, but the Black Cats can head into that daunting double-header with plenty of confidence.
Le Bris has had to go over a month with plenty of players absent, and one of those returning stars, Diarra, certainly stepped up to fill the Xhaka-shaped void.
Diarra was unfortunate to see the first goal taken away from him, but by the time he would have found out about that, the former Strasbourg man had already, definitively, opened his Premier League account to put Sunderland in complete control.
Talbi’s strike was the icing on the cake, while Brobbey led the line brilliantly and was unlucky not to get among the goals.
Sunderland announced the signing of Nilson Angulo from Anderlecht during this match, and they are well set to keep up their challenge for potential European qualification.
It looks bleak for Burnley
The Clarets have put up a brave fight in recent weeks, drawing with Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
But perhaps the manner of that result against Spurs, who equalised late on at Turf Moor last week, just burst their bubble of hope somewhat.
Parker’s team saw plenty of the ball, but lacked any cutting edge – in fact, they did not manage a shot on target.
They may have suffered a touch of misfortune over Diarra’s opener, but Burnley’s defence was exposed when the hosts doubled their lead, and Dubravka’s goalkeeping left plenty to be desired.
Brobbey had the better of his markers all game long, and perhaps that is why Burnley’s defence looked so ragged as Talbi found the space to produce his moment of magic.
Maxime Esteve at least found the resolve late on to block Hume’s goalbound shot and spare the visitors’ blushes somewhat, but Burnley’s hopes of a great escape are fading fast.
They will attempt to keep their hope of survival alive against West Ham next week at Turf Moor.
Club reportsSunderland report | Burnley reportWhat the managers said
Regis Le Bris: “It was important to react because we were really disappointed after West Ham. No energy, we were not Sunderland. Today it was important to show at least our way of playing with intensity, with bravery, with the ability to press high and create chances. This answer is really important because in the Premier League it is not easy to win games.”
Scott Parker: “We were just nowhere near it really. Coming to a difficult place and a difficult stadium against a team who have not lost here. We were never in this game today in any aspect. We’ve had some good results. We looked like a childish team that had no intent about us today. I didn’t see a team with purpose or that came to make a mark.”
PL form and fixtures
Key facts
Sunderland (P12 W7 D5) are one of just seven sides that remain unbeaten on home soil across the big five European leagues this season (also Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain).
There have been 12 instances of a side failing to register a shot on target in a Premier League game this season with Burnley being responsible for four of those (more than any other team). Meanwhile, it was the first time Sunderland have prevented their opponents from landing a shot on target in a top-flight game since April 2016 against West Brom.
Tuanzebe’s three Premier League own goals have come for three different sides (Man United, Ipswich Town and Burnley), with the defender the 12th player to do so in the competition (no player has put through his own net for four different clubs).
Burnley have kept just one clean sheet in their last 38 away Premier League games, conceding at least once in each of their last 22 top-flight matches on the road.
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