OPPOSITION VIEW: BURNLEY

With Burnley coming to the Stadium of Light on Monday night, we spoke to Joe from Turfcast to discuss Scott Parker, their small recent improvement and whether they'll be able to stay up or not...

19th in the table, 15 points with just three league wins (one coming against us of course). What’s been the story of your season so far?

Thanks for the reminder! The only story is we haven’t been good enough. A manager who is too cautious and players who make too many mistakes.

Thoughts on Scott Parker? Do you think he'll keep his job til the end of the season and beyond?

I think he will, but I wanted him potted about six weeks ago - I just don’t think our chairman has got the balls to sack him and I think he gives him the opportunity to bring us back up.

What are the chances of Burnley staying up at this stage?

There’s probably more chance of me pulling Ana De Armas in the Cooper Rose before the match on Monday night.

With three draws in a row against Man Utd, Liverpool and Spurs are there signs of improvement?

Yeah, there have actually been small signs of positivity in the last few games and when you look at those results in isolation they’re all decent results. But when you zoom out and see that we haven’t won in 14 games and find ourselves ten points adrift of safety, then it’s ultimately not enough.

Jaidon Anthony and Zain Fleming are your joint-top scorers with five each, what kind of players are they respectively?

Jaidon is a proper chalk-on-the-boots type winger who has been playing as a wide forward - he started the season brilliantly before tailing off slightly - whereas Zian is more of a striker/number 10.

Apart from these two, who are some of your best players?

Marcus Edwards for me. He’s our most creative player and since he’s come into the side we have been much better.

Alternatively, which Sunderland players have caught your eye this season? Are you happy Granit Xhaka isn’t playing!

Yes, delighted! I think that was a massive part of the reason you lost so comfortably at West Ham last time out. In terms of your better players - Enzo Le Fee is obviously a proper baller, Dan Ballard is a brilliant defender, and Robin Roefs the goalkeeper looks a real find.

When you beat us in August, did you expect Burnley to be in the relegation zone and Sunderland to be higher up the table?

No, I expected us both to be in a relegation battle and fighting for our lives for the majority of the season. You could probably win only one more game this season and still stay up, whereas we have given up the fight already!

Are you coming to the game?

No, it will be the first time I haven’t been to the SoL in about 15 years when we have played each other - having lived in Sunderland for a year back in 2012 I have always made the trip up. But with it being a Monday night and us being awful I have decided to swerve it.

What's your score prediction?

I think it will be a tight game that you just about edge, but I think we score. I’ll go 2-1 Sunderland, with goals from Brobbey and Le Fee for you and Jaidon Anthony for us.

Finally, where do you think we'll both finish this year? Previously, you predicted us both to go down!

I think you guys will finish around 14th - miles clear of safety. The only reason I don’t have you higher is I just feel when the survival is confirmed you’ll subconsciously take your foot off the gas slightly, whereas I don’t see us moving between now and the end of the season. So, 19th.