U23s PREVIEW: SUNDERLAND V BURNLEY

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Young Clarets face a trip to the North East to take on Sunderland in PL2 action

2022-03-21T10:23:31.978Z

U23s PREVIEW: SUNDERLAND V BURNLEY

Young Clarets face a trip to the North East to take on Sunderland in PL2 action

2022-03-21T10:23:31.978Z

Clarets continue their push for the Play-Offs

Michael Jackson’s U23 side face a trip to the North East to take on Sunderland in Premier League 2, Division 2 action on Monday night (21st March).

Played at the Stadium of Light with a 7:00pm kick-off, the Clarets go in search of a first league success of 2022, having lost out narrowly to Reading a week ago with Irish forward Dara Costelloe on the scoresheet once again.

Despite progressing in various cup competitions since the turn of the year, a disrupted league schedule – with just four games in three months – has seen Burnley accumulate games in hand on those above them.

At the time of writing, Jackson’s side now have nine points to make up on those currently sitting in the play-off spots, at the time of writing, while opponents Sunderland lie two places and three points lower.

In a stark contrast, the Black Cats have played no less than eight league games so far in 2022 though have won just one of those, a 2-0 success at home to Reading on January 10.

U23s PREVIEW: SUNDERLAND V BURNLEY - Image 1

Six defeats and one draw have proceeded that win, with Monday’s hosts currently on a losing streak of four matches. In their last outing, they were beaten 3-0 away at Nottingham Forest with all three goals coming in the final 20 minutes.

Notably, following former boss Elliot Dickman’s departure to rivals Newcastle United at the back end of last year, the Black Cats are without a permanent head coach at present.

However, it was Sunderland who prevailed in the reverse league meeting with the Clarets in August. Defender Richard Nartey and forward Max Thompson had put Jackson’s side in a strong position at the Lancashire FA’s County Ground in Leyland but three second half goals saw the Black cats complete a comeback to win 3-2.

And in an interesting coincidence, the two sides met at U18 level just two days ago with the North East outfit’s youth team making the trip to Gawthorpe. It ended 1-1 with Sunderland again coming from behind to level things up in the second half following Tremaine Eastmond’s early opener for Tony Philliskirk’s side.

Coverage of the U23s Monday night trip to the Stadium of Light will be provided on Twitter via @ClaretsAcademy.