'FULL FOCUS NOW ON SATURDAY' INSISTS PARKER AHEAD OF SUNDERLAND CLASH

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Clarets boss puts behind opening day defeat and turns full attention to this weekend

2025-08-22T08:09:10.950Z

'FULL FOCUS NOW ON SATURDAY' INSISTS PARKER AHEAD OF SUNDERLAND CLASH

Clarets boss puts behind opening day defeat and turns full attention to this weekend

2025-08-22T08:09:10.950Z

Clarets boss puts behind opening day defeat and turns full attention to this weekend

Head Coach Scott Parker admits that, despite a promising response after going a goal behind at Spurs and going on to lose the game, the Clarets must now put last weekend behind them and be ready to take on the Black Cats.

Burnley suffered an opening day loss in London last weekend and although Parker's men did create a number of chances and play some well-worked football at times, the Clarets boss insists his side must move on from it and take the positives into Saturday's clash at Turf Moor.

The Clarets are back at home this weekend for the first time since May 3rd and Parker says his team have full focus on facing Régis Le Bris' side.

Speaking ahead of the clash with the Mackems, Parker explained: "Moving on to the next game has been our mantra, that was our mantra last year, that'll be our mantra this year. Football moves very quickly, the psychological element of that moves very quickly.

"We can't spend days or weeks worrying about the what-ifs or what could happen now or what's in front of us or why was that so bad? Of course, we need to reflect and we need to be brutally honest in our assessment of certain things and we've done that for large parts.

"We did that majority of last year, ruthless assessment at times that when things aren't right or things need to be very critical, we own up to that, we face up to that and we adopt an attitude which is one of, okay, where do we need to improve? What do we need to do?

"But as quickly as that is, the main focus is on the next game and that's where we are now. We've done our learning, we've debriefed the game, I think we'll be a better version hopefully and we're going now with full focus into Saturday."

'FULL FOCUS NOW ON SATURDAY' INSISTS PARKER AHEAD OF SUNDERLAND CLASH - Image 1

Sunderland, who were promoted alongside Burnley last season and have already signed 12 new faces this summer, won their opening game against West Ham last weekend and Parker is well aware of the test his side will face.

"They're a good side. Look, it's a totally different team to the one we faced last year. Obviously, they have recruited and brought in a lot of players and obviously recruited very well.

"I don't think anything's changed fundamentally in terms of the team and how they play and the structure of their team, but certainly personnel has changed.

"They have brought in added quality, which you can obviously clearly see. So, they're coming off the back of a very good result at home, a good start.

"But it's our first home game and we're looking forward to it."

MATCH PREVIEW: BURNLEY V SUNDERLAND - Image 5

The Clarets will be backed by another sell-out home crowd on Saturday and Parker highlighted the importance the supporters can play at Turf Moor.

"It's going to be absolutely vital for us this year. I've mentioned it many times, the challenge that we have this year and that challenge is going to have to be one which we all embrace.

"It's a challenge that us as a group, us as a football club, as players, as coaches, that has been really at the forefront of what we've done at this present moment in time since coming back.

"I think the fundamentals to last year, to this group, certainly was the cohesion, the commitment, the support and the togetherness that we showed throughout last year, got us to a point that we're now in the Premier League and the fans were crucial to that last year.

"The next challenge for all of us, and I include the fans in that, is this challenge we face now and that challenge is going to look very different to last year.

"There's going to be some adversity, there's going to be some bumpy times, but I absolutely have no doubt that our fan base can help this young team, can help all of us and make the stadium a tough one to come to. They can spur us on, give us that extra bit when we need it and I know they're going to be right behind us, through thick, through thin, through bad, through good ,and that's exactly what we're going to need this year."