Key Facts
- Sunderland (11th/33) are level on points with Everton and only three ahead of Brighton; Burnley (19th/15) are ten points from safety and desperately need wins.
- The odds of 1.8 on Sunderland are based on their unbeaten home run, while Burnley are winless in 14 league games (away odds 5.0).
- Both teams have conceded in each of their last five games; Sunderland have scored in four of those, as have Burnley, who have scored after the break in four games.
- Sunderland will continue to be without captain Xhaka (ankle), so Diarra will need to provide pace and leadership; Burnley are missing Beyer, Cullen, Amdouni, Roberts and Tresor, while Ward-Prowse is sharpening his set pieces.
- In head-to-head matches, Burnley have won two of the last five, but four have ended with under 2.5 goals; the first half is usually cautious, with Burnley rarely scoring before the break.
If this pairing promises one thing, it’s a game in which every little decision will be felt: Sunderland welcomes Régis Le Bris’ team to Scott Parker’s Burnley on Monday evening under the floodlights at the Stadium of Light on Matchday 24 of the Premier League. The first leg in August set the tone early on, with Burnley winning 2-0 at Turf Moor, and recent encounters have often been close, including two goalless draws in the Championship – so there are many indications that this will be a tactical battle rather than an open goal fest. Sunderland go into this matchday in eleventh place with 33 points, level on points with Everton above them and three points ahead of Brighton; their form in the league has been inconsistent, although they have shown clear strength at home. Le Bris will have to do without captain Xhaka, who is still out with an ankle injury. Burnley are stuck in 19th place with 15 points, five points behind West Ham and without a win since October, and the talk on Deadline Day about Anthony continues. With an eye on the English European places, which may extend to fifth place, Sunderland’s mid-table position is not yet set in stone, and a win will keep them in the mix in the upper half of the table. For Burnley, it is much more urgent, as Parker’s team is ten points away from safety and cannot continue to live on draws. After their 3-1 defeat at West Ham, Sunderland will be looking for a sharper start, while Burnley will need to carry over their recent control in midfield.
- Venue: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
- Date and time: 02.02.2026, 9:00 p.m.
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 24)
The betting market sees Sunderland as the clear home favorite (odds around 1.8) – and that seems understandable: The unbeaten streak at the Stadium of Light faces a Burnley side that has been waiting for a win for 14 league games. With Xhaka still out, Diarra in a more offensive role, and Ward-Prowse posing a threat from set pieces, goals are entirely plausible.
Sunderland form & record check
Eleventh in the Premier League with 33 points, Sunderland have kept themselves in the race for the top half of the table, level on points with Everton just above them and three points ahead of Brighton. The Stadium of Light is their anchor, and they are still unbeaten at home in the league, which masks a more fragile away record. This contrast was evident again recently, first in the 2-1 home win against Crystal Palace, where Le Fée and Brobbey turned the game around with combinations around the penalty area, then in the 3-1 defeat at West Ham after a sluggish first half and a penalty conceded. In between, they beat Everton 1-1 on penalties in the FA Cup. The 1-1 draw at Tottenham looked mature, while the 3-0 win at Brentford looked passive. In all competitions, Sunderland have conceded goals in each of their last five games, with four of those coming in the first half, so the start of games is an issue. At the same time, they have scored in four of those five games, and every game has had more than 1.5 goals, which leaves the direction open.
The second halves are often quieter, suggesting that Le Bris is making good adjustments. With Xhaka out for another three weeks, Diarra is setting the pace.
Le Bris is likely to stick with a familiar 4-4-2, although that’s just a prediction at this stage. Roefs could continue in goal, behind a back four of Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, and Mandava. In midfield, Hume and Mundle would provide width, with Diarra and Le Fée occupying the center, while Brobbey and Mayenda are considered the most likely strike duo. Xhaka remains sidelined with an ankle injury, so Sunderland’s midfield could once again depend on Diarra’s running and Le Fée’s passing to quickly connect with the two strikers. If Le Bris wants more cover or fresh legs, O’Nien or Sadiki would be plausible alternatives in the center, while Cirkin or Geertruida could rotate at full-back and Adingra or Traoré could provide more width.
Burnley Form & Record Check
Burnley travels to the Stadium of Light stuck in 19th place with 15 points, winless in the league since October, with the most recent run featuring three consecutive draws before two straight defeats. They are five points behind West Ham, the closest team above them, so resilience must quickly be converted into wins. A seven-point lead over Wolves is little consolation if they can’t keep clean sheets. The 2-0 defeat at Brighton looked worryingly soft in the penalty area, but Parker’s side have since shown they can compete with the heavyweights. A 2-2 draw with Manchester United, a 1-1 draw at Liverpool, and a 2-2 draw with Tottenham, after Tuanzebe and Foster scored, make for five draws in six league games. The catch is well known: they continue to struggle to finish games off. The 5-1 FA Cup win over Millwall hinted at greater attacking potential, but things are messier in the league: Burnley have conceded in each of their last five games, and all of those games have seen over 1.5 goals. In four of those games, they scored after the break but also conceded a goal in each. Ward-Prowse, on loan, is expected to sharpen set pieces, while Anthony, a target for Leeds, remains a threat despite the absences of Beyer, Cullen, Amdouni, Roberts, and Tresor.
Parker is expected to stick with a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Dúbravka behind a back three of Tuanzebe, Estève, and Humphreys. Walker and Hartman should provide width as wingbacks, with Ugochukwu and Florentino securing the center and Edwards and Anthony playing between the lines. Broja is likely to be the main man up front, with Burnley looking to transition quickly after winning the ball. Injuries limit the options, with Beyer, Cullen, and Amdouni still out, and Roberts and Tresor also listed as absent in the latest team news. That makes Walker the obvious replacement on the right wing and leaves the midfield pairing largely unchanged, although Ward-Prowse could be brought on gradually for control and set pieces. Anthony has been linked with a late move, but if he stays, he looks central to the plan.
Sunderland – Burnley Head-to-Head & Statistics
Burnley have the upper hand in the last five meetings, with two wins to Sunderland’s one, plus two draws. The most recent game in August 2025 was a 2-0 win for Burnley, one of three clean sheets they have managed in this small sample. Sunderland’s standout moment was their 1-0 home win in 2024, their only success here. Goals have mostly been in short supply, with four of the five games ending with under 2.5 goals, and the first half has typically been cautious, with under 1.5 goals before the break in four of the five games. Interestingly, the distribution of goals also leans in one direction, with data suggesting that Burnley rarely scores before the break, while Sunderland has failed to score in the second half in this sequence. Sunderland’s recent trips to Burnley have been particularly unkind, with no wins in three consecutive visits, in 2023, 2025, and August 2025. When this fixture opens up, it usually does so quickly, as evidenced by the 2-4 result in 2022, but that was the exception. Squad availability could play a role, with Xhaka missing for Sunderland and Cullen, Beyer, and Amdouni missing for Burnley.
