Score Predictions: Can the Lads get any booty away at Burnley?

Last time out... Sunderland 1 Luton Town 1

Sunderland battled away to earn a solid home point against Luton before the international break paused the league campaign for a weekend.

A very well taken late penalty conversion from Amad Diallo brought Sunderland level, after Luton had taken the lead 5 minutes into the second period.

While it wasn’t a win, it wasn’t a loss and the lads have now gathered 4 points from the fixtures against a sequence of well established Championship sides in Norwich City, Sheffield United and Luton Town. Many would have taken that after our poor showing at home to Stoke.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

So, on we move to Burnley away on the telly tonight. Let’s hope our season theme of strong away performances continues, and we get something from this tie. Post this we head into the last 5 weeks or so of what has to be seen as a very successful first season at the second tier for about 5 years, so whatever tonight’s result, the season has been a decent one.

These were the hopeful forecasts from the water-divining Predictions lads ahead of the home tie against The Hatters…

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Predictions League Table - After Game 38 - Luton Town (H)

The two lads who correctly called a draw at home to Luton now top the table in joint first, on 33 points, namely Matty and Jack.

Title contender Will drops to second by a point, followed closely by Malc and Bomber.

Martin continues to play for pride, and the hope that in our remaining 8 games he can hit the two points per game average Lee Johnson always banged on about… which, if he had all of them right now, would put him top by one point.

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How the points are awarded...

Just a quick reminder on how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:

• Correct score = 3 points
• Correct outcome (but not correct score) = 1 point
• Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = 1 point (no goal scorer is a valid call)
• Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = TBC at Malc’s discretion…

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Malc Dugdale predicts...

Score Prediction: Burnley 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Patrick Roberts

The last time these lot lost was on bonfire night if my research is right, apart from a recent mauling in the cup against Man City. It took me ten minutes of scrolling the Burnley results to find that out, they lose so infrequently.

With a 16 point lead on 3rd place and a game in hand on both 3rd and 4th, they need very few more wins and they will be automatically back up. A cracking demonstration of how to bounce straight into the Premier League first time of asking.

But… we are decent away from home and we showed these in the SOL leg that we can play - well, at least for a half of a game.

Paddy has been unlucky not to score and he likes doing the business in big away games, so I’m backing us to get a draw thanks to one of Roberts’ sweet curling efforts.

Photo by Will Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images

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Matty Foster predicts...

Score Prediction: Burnley 3 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Joe Gelhardt

Only two sides have managed to take all three points against Burnley this season, the last of which came way back late last year.

That in itself is staggering form, but then you see they have not lost at all at Turf Moor, in all competitions!

I guess that takes the pressure off the lads, as I highly doubt anybody expects us to come away with the spoils.

It would be very ‘Sunderland’ of us to win this, and go and get thumped off Hull next week.

But unfortunately, I don’t see it, not against the highest scorers and best defensive side in the league!

Photo by Will Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images

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Bomber Davies predicts...

Score Prediction: Burnley 2 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Patrick Roberts

Our defence is threadbare, which is not exactly what you need when going to visit the champions-elect.

I’ll always back us to score in any given match, but I feel we will really struggle to keep them out. Fans were shown just how potent Burnley can be when they click into gear, and I feel they’ll be targeting the achievement of 100 points and promotion as soon as they can… which unfortunately will be partly at our expense.

In a way, I want to get this game out of the way because I feel we can put a really good run together in the last seven to close the curtain on what has actually been a very good first season back in the second tier.

Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images

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Martin Wanless predicts...

Score Prediction: Burnley 2 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

I’m looking forward to seeing how we stand up to this one - Burnley have been the stand out team by far this season and on our day I do believe we are a match for anyone.

I think we will see a relatively unchanged team bar injuries, and hopefully the lads will give a good account of themselves.

I’ll go for Jack Clarke getting our opener in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Photo by Will Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images

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Will Jones predicts...

Score Prediction: Burnley 2 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

After a week off and more injuries, the squad is at bare-bones levels of depth.

Having said that, I believe we will show as much fighting spirit as ever and be tactically astute when it comes to preventing a Burnley onslaught.

I believe the lads could go to Turf more and grab a point with the wind blowing in the right direction, but I feel they may have that little too much for us, given the circumstances.

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...

Score Prediction: Burnley 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

Another tough game and a few new injuries don’t help our cause, particularly that one to Dan Ballard.

Burnley are one of the best sides in the league and we will need to dig in to get something.

I think we still have plenty of talent available to have a go at them and I fancy us to give them a bit of a surprise emerging with a good away point.

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images