‘Looking to beat them again’ – Axel Tuanzebe sends clear Sunderland message ahead of Burnley clash
Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe has sent a clear message ahead of Monday’s trip to Sunderland in the Premier League
Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe has issued a clear message ahead of Monday night’s meeting with Sunderland, insisting his side will arrive on Wearside determined to turn frustration into victory – while also acknowledging the challenge posed by Régis Le Bris’ in-form team.
Burnley head into the clash still searching for a first win in 14 matches, having been denied all three points by a late Tottenham equaliser last weekend. Despite leading deep into the game, Scott Parker’s side were forced to settle for another draw, leaving them 10 points adrift of safety and increasingly short of margin for error.
That context shapes Tuanzebe’s comments ahead of the trip to the Stadium of Light, with the defender openly admitting Burnley cannot afford to keep letting results slip. “Ultimately, we’re disappointed, because the win was definitely there for us to take,” Tuanzebe told Burnley’s YouTube channel. “We fell short of that at the end, and it’s always frustrating to concede late on.”
Tuanzebe had earlier brought Burnley level against Spurs with his first-ever league goal, helping spark a strong second-half showing. But nerves crept in late on, and Cristian Romero’s powerful header rescued a point for the visitors, extending Burnley’s winless run. Reflecting on that spell, Tuanzebe admitted his side became too focused on protecting what they had rather than continuing what had worked.
“We showcased a much better second half after that [his goal],” the 27-year-old added. “We’ve not won in a while, though, so it almost got a little tense to hold out and get the win, and we stopped doing the things we were doing earlier. We just wanted to hold out when we should have just continued what we were doing, because clearly it was working.”
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With Sunderland now next on the schedule, Tuanzebe made it clear Burnley see Monday’s fixture as an opportunity – and one they are approaching with intent. “But we will learn from the situation, and we will look forward. We have Sunderland next Monday, and it will be a good game. It’s someone we’ve beaten before, and we’ll be looking to beat them again.”
Those comments will not go unnoticed on Wearside, particularly given Sunderland’s impressive Premier League campaign to date. And while Tuanzebe spoke with confidence, he was careful to stress that Burnley are fully aware of the task they face against a side flying high. He added: “That’s not to underestimate Sunderland, though, they’ve been having a fantastic season, and we will treat them with the same respect we’ve shown to all these other sides we’ve played over the last few weeks. At the same time, we need wins, and that’s what we’ll be going there to do.”