Sunderland eased pressure in the Premier League with a controlled 3-0 home win over Burnley, lifting Regis Le Bris’ side into eighth place. Burnley’s long slump deepened, with Scott Parker’s team now winless in 15 league matches and 11 points from safety.
The match underlined two very different trends. Sunderland responded strongly after losing to West Ham, doing so again without Granit Xhaka. Burnley, despite enjoying more of the ball, lacked threat in attack and looked short of answers during another damaging setback in their survival fight.
The visitors actually saw 55.8% of possession yet could not turn that control into danger. Burnley managed only five attempts, and none forced a save. It was the third time this league season that Burnley finished
a match without registering a single effort on target.
Underlying numbers highlighted the difference in quality. Burnley’s attacks produced just 0.06 expected goals, compared with Sunderland’s 1.47 xG. That imbalance reflected how rarely Burnley reached threatening positions, while Sunderland picked better moments and made their chances count more effectively across the ninety minutes.
Habib Diarra delivered a standout display in midfield on his first Sunderland start since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations. The Senegal international finished with the joint-highest shot total for the hosts and also won four of six duels, underlining a strong all-round contribution.
Diarra thought he had his first Premier League goal after nine minutes, but the opener was recorded as an Axel Tuanzebe own goal. Diarra did score officially in the 32nd minute, with a low strike that beat Martin Dubravka, who appeared slow to react.
Chemsdine Talbi then produced the night’s best moment. The midfielder collected possession outside the area on 72 minutes and sent a curling long-range effort off the crossbar and in. The third goal settled any doubt and added further frustration for Burnley’s travelling support.
The contest also ended a run of three straight league draws for Sunderland, which came against Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham. Those results showed resilience, but this victory, and the margin of it, gave Le Bris a clearer sign of progress in open play.
| Team | Possession | Shots | Shots on target | Expected goals (xG) | Winless run |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | 44.2% | - | - | 1.47 | - |
| Burnley | 55.8% | 5 | 0 | 0.06 | 15 league games |
Burnley’s 15-game winless sequence is now the longest such run in the club’s Premier League history. With the attack misfiring again and defensive lapses punished, Parker faces a demanding task to close the gap, as Sunderland’s upward movement contrasts sharply with Burnley’s slide.
They don't come much better than that pic.twitter.com/DGa53PhC6YSunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) February 2, 2026
