Relegation-threatened Burnley will look to secure all three points when they hit the road to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Monday.

Burnley will be eyeing their fourth Premier League win of the season when they square up against the high-flying Sunderland, who will be eager to return to winning ways.

The home team are 11th on the table with 33 points in their 23 outings, with eight wins and nine draws. The Wearside outfit have a 13-point cushion over the team in 18th and are only five points behind the team in sixth. While they have only won one out of their last five league outings, the Black Cats have certainly been in fine form for the majority of the season.

After securing a hard-fought 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, Sunderland suffered at the hands of West Ham United last time out. They will have to be a bit more creative and enterprising with the ball if they want to return to winning ways.

Burnley are 19th with 15 points in their 23 outings. The Clarets have only won three games all season, and they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 14-match winless run in the Premier League. While their overall form is not that promising, they are heading into this fixture on the back of two hard-fought draws.

Earning a point against Liverpool and Tottenham is not that straightforward, and they will certainly carry some confidence from those results into this fixture. Burnley will go all out to end their winless run in the Premier League. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Sunderland

Regis Le Bris will be without the services of Granit Xhaka (ankle), Bertrand Traore (knee), and Jocelin Ta Bi (ankle). Apart from the trio, everyone else should be available for selection for the home side.

Sunderland will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Robin Roefs will take charge in goal. Nordi Mukiele and Dennis Cirkin will feature as the full-backs, while Dan Ballard will pair up with Omar Alderete in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Habib Diarra will start alongside Noah Sadiki in the centre of the park. The duo will form the double pivot; they will look to shield the backline and ensure they dominate the ball.

Trai Hume and Chemdine Talbi will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Enzo Le Fee will take up the number ten role, while Brian Brobbey will lead the line for Sunderland against Burnley on Monday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Cirkin; Diarra, Sadiki; Hume, Le Fee, Talbi; Brobbey

Burnley

Scott Parker has confirmed that Zian Flemming and Joe Worrall are both back fit and could be a part of the squad for this fixture. While Zeki Amdouni (knee), Connor Roberts (achilles), Mike Tresor (ankle), Josh Cullen (knee) and Jordan Beyer (ankle) remain on the sidelines, Burnley do not have any fresh injury concerns.

The visitors will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Martin Dubravka will be in goal. Axel Tuanzebe, Maxime Esteve, and Bashir Humphreys will form the back three. The trio will look to keep things tight at the back, and they will receive significant support from Kyle Walker and Lucas Pires, who will feature as wing-backs.

As for the midfield unit, Lesley Ugochukwu will pair up with Florentino Luis in the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo and ensure they dominate the ball. Marcus Edwards and Jaidon Anthony will feature as the two attacking midfielders behind Lyle Foster, who will spearhead the Burnley attack against Sunderland on Monday.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Dubravka; Humphreys, Esteve, Tuanzebe; Walker, Ugochukwu, Florentino, Pires; Edwards, Anthony; Foster

Key Stats

• In the 122 meetings between the two teams, Sunderland have won 48, while Burnley have won 40 times.
• In the earlier meeting between the teams, Burnley secured an easy 2-0 win.
• Sunderland have struggled for goals this season (24), but they have been relatively solid at the back with only 26 conceded. Burnley have scored a similar number of goals (25) but have been far more vulnerable defensively, shipping 44 in the process.
• In the last five matches between the two teams, neither side has kept a clean sheet.
• The Clarets have been winless in their last 14 league games.

Player to Watch

Marcus Edwards

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Marcus Edwards could be one to keep an eye on, especially given his recent upturn in form. While he has managed just three goal contributions in 13 league appearances this season (a little over 500 minutes), two of those have come in his last three outings.

The winger teed up a goal against Manchester United before getting himself on the scoresheet against Liverpool, and that momentum could make him a real threat heading into this fixture. After spending a significant amount of time on the bench in the first half, he has finally established himself as one of their mainstays.

Prediction

Sunderland 2-2 Burnley

Sunderland’s home form and their overall consistency this season should give them confidence in controlling large spells of the game. With greater stability at the back and creative options in the final third, the Black Cats are expected to push Burnley onto the defensive and look to make their territorial dominance count.

However, Burnley’s recent resilience against top sides suggests they will not be easy to break down. The Clarets will approach this fixture with renewed belief after back-to-back draws and could pose problems on the counter.

Given Sunderland’s occasional struggles in front of goal and Burnley’s desperation for points, this contest could once again end with both sides sharing the spoils. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw in this high-voltage fixture.