Josh Cullen and Jaidon Anthony set each other up for second-half goals as Burnley gave Turf Moor a winning return to the Premier League with a 2-0 win over fellow promoted side Sunderland on Saturday.
The Black Cats came into the game riding high, buzzing that a decisive Week 1 win over West Ham might be the start of an easier-than-expected return to the top flight.
WATCH — Burnley vs Sunderland full match replay
Scott Parker’s hosts, conversely, had to pull themselves up from a 3-0 season-opening loss to his old club Tottenham Hotspur, and did so with vigor thanks to interplay between club captain Cullen and loan-star-turned-permanent-signing Anthony.
Both teams now sit with a win and a loss on this young season, joining Leeds as all promoted sides have claimed three points by Week 2.
What’s next?
Burnley host Derby County on Tuesday in the League Cup second round, then go to Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday.
Sunderland are on the same schedule, home to Huddersfield Town on Tuesday before a 10am ET Saturday visit from Brentford.
How to watch Burnley vs Sunderland live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday
Venue: Turf Moor — Burnley
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Burnley vs Sunderland final score: 2-0
Josh Cullen 47', Jaidon Anthony 88'
Burnley vs Sunderland live updates — by Nick Mendola
Jaidon Anthony goal — Burnley 2-0 Sunderland
Cullen and Anthony team up again.
Loum Tchaouna springs a counter attack with a quick pass to Cullen, who is central and hits a gorgeous first-touch pass to Anthony.
The ex-Bournemouth man rescues a heavy first touch to scoot past the onrushing Roefs and issues an authoritative finish into the upper reaches of the center of the goal.
That’ll do.
Josh Cullen goal — Burnley 1-0 Sunderland
VAR is checking a potential offside, but while we wait...
Jaidon Anthony’s deft lay-off allows Josh Cullen to step into a curling shot that might’ve taken the slightest of turns on an aesthetically-pleasing trip past Robin Roefs.
Halftime — Burnley 0-0 Sunderland
This game has been... sturdy.
Not a lot of danger and some good movement but mostly in the middle third of the pitch.
Maybe a Marc Guiu or Marcus Edwards off the bench can help trigger some joy, as you might not expect Scott Parker or Regis Le Bris to depart much from what’s would at this point be a point a piece.
Jaidon Anthony heads just wide
The last play of the half is a deliciously-sailed cross from Hannibal Mejbri to the back post, but the ex-Man United man is denied an assist as Jaidon Anthony can’t quite put his header on frame.
Well-matched
The two promoted teams are trading spells of possession and seeing the game tighten up near the boxes, as you might expect when three huge points are on the line between perceived strugglers.
0-0, 39'.
Lyle Foster goal glory short-lived
Lyle Foster snaps a deflected shot into the Sunderland goal, but his bullish work to take away the ball involved a foul.
VAR doesn’t need long to tell the referee about it.
Ballard can’t continue
Daniel Ballard needed treatment after the Mayenda chance and tried to play on but will not be able to play a further role in this one.
The Northern Ireland national team center back is replaced by Jensen Seelt in the ninth minute.
Dubravka denies ex-rivals
Eliezer Mayenda is on the doorstep for perhaps an opening moments goal, but longtime Newcastle man Martin Dubravka gets low to save the Spanish youth international.
Burnley lineup
Dubravka, Walker, Hartman, Esteve, Ekdal, Ugochukwu, Bruun Larsen, Hannibal, Cullen, Anthony, Foster
Sunderland lineup
Roefs, Hume, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo, Xhaka, Sadiki, Diarra, Talbi, Adingra, Mayenda
Burnley vs Sunderland preview — by Andy Edwards
Scott Parker’s Clarets were beaten 3-0 by Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, putting them straight into the bottom-three and reminding everyone at the club just how difficult it will be to stay up this season (as if they needed a reminder). The result and performance were in stark contrast to last season’s successes in the Championship, where Burnley conceded just 16 goals (14 fewer than anyone else) and never gave up more than one goal in any of their 46 league games. “The clinical and ruthless nature of the Premier League was then there for everyone to see just before the hour,” Parker said after the loss to Spurs. “We had two massive, massive chances, where we just weren’t ruthless enough, and then they go up the other end, create a half-chance, and double their lead with a world class finish.”
Sunderland, meanwhile, found themselves on the happy end of a 3-0 result as they made their long-awaited return to the top flight. The Black Cats were relegated from the Premier League in 2017, then to League One the next year and needed four seasons just to make their way back to the Championship in 2022. Three tries later, now they’re back in the big time and appear hellbent on staying there. With a week and a half still left in the summer transfer window, Sunderland have already spent over $200 million this summer. Even if none of the 12 newcomers scored against West Ham in the opener, seven of them started and two more came off the bench for Regis Le Bris’ side.
Burnley team news, focus
OUT: Zeki Amdouni (knee), Jordan Beyer (knee), Manuel Benson (achilles) | QUESTIONABLE: Bashir Humphreys (thigh), Axel Tuanzebe (muscular), Connor Roberts (fitness), Zian Flemming (fitness), Armando Broja (undisclosed)
Sunderland team news, focus
OUT: Luke O’Nien (shoulder), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Romaine Mundle (thigh), Leo Fuhr Hjelde (achilles), Aji Alese (shoulder) | QUESTIONABLE: Arthur Masuaku (fitness), Nordi Makuele (fitness)
Burnley vs Sunderland prediction
As newly promoted sides, we haven’t yet seen how Burnley expansively will try to play at home, nor how Sunderland will set up away from the Stadium of Light. Ride the wave, Black Cats. Burnley 1-2 Sunderland.
