Sunderland travel to Burnley on Friday night for a game that will likely change the complexion of the Championship title race.
With 20 games to go, Sunderland are still firmly involved in the fight for promotion, and could make a real signal of intent by beating Burnley at Turf Moor this week.
A win there would take Regis Le Bris’ side level on points with top of the table Leeds United, at least for one day, while defeat would open up a gap for the top two.
Anyone preparing to watch Burnley vs Sunderland on Friday may be hoping for a thrilling contest between two of the best teams in the Championship, but you may be bitterly disappointed by the reality.
Burnley do not concede goals, but they don’t score them either
So far this season, Burnley have made history by conceding just nine goals across their 26 games, with a defensive record that makes them incredibly hard to beat and firm favourites to snatch one of the top two spots for promotion.
We know the Clarets will likely frustrate Sunderland and limit the Black Cats’ more expansive play on Friday night, so don’t expect the usual flow of goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda.
But, while Burnley are strong defensively, they are also not scoring goals frequently, either. Scott Parker’s side have scored just 31 goals all season, and that includes nine in their first two games.
Since then, the Lancashire outfit have scored 22 goals in 24 matches and this, combined with their tight defensive play, means that fans are hardly being entertained at Turf Moor this year.
Unfortunately, with so much at stake, we just cannot see either team opening up and taking risks on Friday night, which may leave us with a stalemate. A goalless draw may be dull, but it keeps both sides in the promotion race, and that’s perhaps more important than entertainment at this stage.
- READ MORE: One Burnley player that Sunderland should look to target, and one that could exploit Regis Le Bris
Sunderland could spring a surprise and put themselves in pole position
Of course, people have been writing Sunderland off all season and expecting them to drop off, and it simply hasn’t happened.
The Black Cats surprised everyone with a tactical masterstroke in the win over Sheffield United at the start of the year, and they could well do it again versus Burnley.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LeedsLeeds | 26 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 48 | 19 | 29 | 53 |
| 2 |  BurnleyBurnley | 26 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 31 | 9 | 22 | 52 |
| 3 |  Sheff UtdSheffield Utd | 26 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 36 | 17 | 19 | 52 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 26 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 39 | 22 | 17 | 50 |
| 5 |  MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough | 26 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 43 | 32 | 11 | 41 |
| 6 |  West BromWest Brom | 26 | 9 | 13 | 4 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 40 |
It won’t be easy, but in what will likely be a game of few chances, the prolificacy of someone like Isidor, or the ability of Jobe Bellingham to produce moments of magic could make all the difference.
If Sunderland can achieve a win away at Burnley, there can be no doubting their credentials any longer, and everyone will have to start discussing them as genuine title contenders.