Burnley v Sunderland memories: A four-goal hero, an astonishing Premier League comeback and a key win

Tony Mowbray takes his Black Cats to the North West as underdogs on Friday night to face Vincent Kompany’s Burnley, who are flying at the top of the Championship with their new quick and exciting style of football.

Both sides are looking for a boost, with the Clarets looking to get back to winning ways after an FA Cup thrashing by Manchester City and Sunderland needing points in order to keep their slim play-off hopes alive.

But here are five memorable previous meetings with Burnley.

Burnley 1-3 Sunderland – August 28, 2019 - League Cup second round

Sunderland bridged a two-division gap to reach the League Cup third round. Even more remarkably, they did it with a goal from Will Grigg.

Despite a large away following creating all the atmosphere, Premier League Burnley looked in control of the tie when Jay Rodriguez opened the scoring after being slipped through by Matej Vydra in the 11th minute.

But Grigg, the striker whose big-money signing the previous January generally provided more drama for the Sunderland ‘Til I Die documentary than an end product on the pitch, slotted home a fine 35th-minute equaliser into the top left-hand corner to level it up ahead of the break.

The half-time team-talk from Jack Ross must have worked wonders as Tom Flanagan nodded the visitors ahead in the 47th minute after Joe Hart could only palm away Lynden Gooch’s effort. Then not long after play restarted, George Dobson fired home from the edge of the box after a beautifully worked training-ground corner routine to book a third-round visit to Sheffield United.

Sunderland 2-1 Burnley - Premier League - April 17, 2010

The Black Cats withstood a late Burnley fightback to make mathematically certain of staying in the Premier League and maintain a proud home record, while deepening the visitors’ relegation fears.

Over 41,000 were at the Stadium of Light to see Sunderland dominate the Clarets until all but the game’s latter stages, with Fraizer Campbell sliding home Alan Hutton’s cross for the opening goal after 25 minutes, before his unselfish header across goal set up Darren Bent to double the lead late in the first half.

Steve Bruce’s men saw numerous chances come and go before Steven Thompson’s 82nd-minute strike into the bottom left-hand corner finally made a game of it without denying a victory which stretched their unbeaten run at home to four months and – due to Hull’s failure to beat Birmingham – guaranteed survival.

Sunderland 5-0 Burnley – Division Two - February 9, 1980

Stan Cummins’ finest hour in a Sunderland shirt – other than his derby winner against Newcastle at Roker Park – came as his four goals kick-started the Black Cats’ Division Two promotion drive.

Ken Knighton’s team were walking tall at 2-0 up at half-time thanks to a neat finish from 5ft 3in Cummins in the 17th minute and then another by Kevin Arnott – set up by Cummins and Alan Brown - nine minutes later.

But the fun really began for Cummins – who had never previously scored more than one goal in a single game – in the 58th minute when he ran onto a long clearance from goalkeeper Chris Turner and nodded in his second.

Cummins then set Roker Park alight by completing his hat-trick in the 78th minute after good work by Pop Robson, then took advantage of good interplay between Argentine midfielder Claudio Marangoni and Brown to add yet another goal five minutes from time.

“I fancied I could have tried anything and got away with it,” Cummins said afterwards, as Sunderland moved to within four points of the top of the Division Two table.

Sunderland 3-2 Burnley - Championship – April 27, 2007

Carlos Edwards grabbed a dramatic late winner as title-challenging Sunderland triumphed in a game of three penalties to return to the top of the Championship in front of almost 45,000 at the Stadium of Light.

Daryl Murphy tapped home an early opener for Roy Keane’s men, but David Connolly then blew a chance to double the lead from the spot after winning the penalty himself.

That miss looked likely to be crucial as an in-form Burnley side with five wins in their previous six league games equalised through Andy Gray from the spot after a 39th-minute foul on Wade Elliot, who then smashed in a 25-yard free kick himself early in the second half to put the visitors ahead.

But then Edwards stepped up – first winning a penalty which Connolly bravely stepped up to convert for Sunderland’s 54th-minute equaliser, and then firing home a late angled drive to seal a victory which sent the Black Cats two points clear of Birmingham at the top of the table with one league game remaining.

Sunderland 2-0 Burnley - Premier League – January 31, 2015

Jermain Defoe’s first goal in a Sunderland shirt sealed a potentially priceless win which took Gus Poyet’s side four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.

In front of another 44,000 crowd at the Stadium of Light, Connor Wickham headed home Anthony Reveillere’s cross to put the Black Cats in front in the 20th minute with only his third league goal of the season.

Defoe – signed from MLS side Toronto FC just over a fortnight earlier in a swap deal with Jozy Altidore – then showed his predatory instincts to double the lead on 34 minutes, sliding in to force home Patrick van Aanholt’s cross from close range.

Coming a week after he had complained of a “missed connection” between his team and their supporters, Poyet said “I want this to be a turning point” as the three points lifted Sunderland to 14th in the Premier League table.