Burnley vs Sunderland Prediction: Black Cats to be out of luck at Turf Moor

Just two points separate second-placed Burnley from Sunderland in fourth as they prepare to clash in a Championship cracker from Turf Moor, a match you can watch on Sky Sports Main Event & Football on Friday evening (8.00pm). 

The Clarets are unbeaten since early November and boast the fewest defeats and goals conceded in the division, but one of their two losses was a 1-0 defeat against the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light.

Football Odds

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Burnley boss Scott Parker made 11 changes for last week's FA Cup win at Reading and may well make 11 again as he recalls the players who won 1-0 at Blackburn on January 4.

Dennis Cirkin is set to return at left-back for Sunderland following the knee injury sustained by Aji Alese in the FA Cup defeat by Stoke last week. 

French midfielder Enzo Le Fee, signed on loan from Roma, could make his debut, most probably off the bench. 

Burnley vs Sunderland Odds

Burnley, yet to lose at Turf Moor this season, are 6/5 to see off the 12/5 Black Cats, whose away record is more modest. 

Sunderland did beat Burnley 1-0 in August and at 8/15 under 2.5 goals and 4/6 both teams not to score, a tight, low-scorer between two strong sides is anticipated. 

Burnley @ 6/5

Parker insists Burnley are unrecognisable from the team which lost 1-0 at the Stadium of Light in late August and it looks worth taking the ex-England midfielder at his word. 

That 1-0 defeat on Wearside is one of just two suffered by the Clarets, who are unbeaten in 13 Championship matches. 

Parker gave his entire first team the week off last weekend in the FA Cup - his reserves doing the business in a 3-1 success at Reading - so they will be fresh for the challenge of stifling Sunderland. 

And stifling is what Burnley do best. Incredibly, they have conceded just nine goals in their 26 league games. They have kept 17 clean sheets and therefore not conceded more than one goal in any fixture. 

They have not conceded a goal in the league since before Christmas and this spells danger for a Sunderland side who are excellent at home, but less authoritative away. 

They have won only one of their last seven away games in the league - 3-2 at Swansea - and are arguably still punching above their weight in a section where Burnley are genuine title contenders. 

Over 47.5 Bookings Points @ 1/1

There were seven yellow cards and a red for Sunderland's Dan Neil when these teams met in a tetchy encounter at the Stadium of Light at the back end of the summer. 

These are big clubs playing for his stakes and don't be surprised if referee Anthony Backhouse is reaching into his pocket with regularity on Friday night. 

Backhouse has shown 80 yellows and three reds in the EFL this season and he can expect to be a busy man. 

Only Preston commit more fouls per game in the Championship than Burnley, while Sunderland are averaging 26.2 bookings points per away game. 

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