Premier League: Sunderland vs Burnley! The injury curse strikes again, will Burnley lose their key player this time?

Let's begin today's first match discussionPremier League: Sunderland vs Burnley!

In their previous meeting, the injury curse took away a key Sunderland player, which greatly helped Burnley.

But this time, the situation might reverse, and Sunderland could be the team benefiting from the injury curse.

Sunderland was truly unlucky in the last match!

Only 9 minutes into the game, their star-level center-back Ballard was injured and had to be replaced early.

Why is Ballard called a "star-level center-back"?

Because he is Sunderland's key defensive player, a true physical shield, and one of the Premier League’s top aerial defenders.

He has won 77 aerial duels so far, ranking fifth among all 500 Premier League players, which is very impressive.

Who replaced Ballard?

It was the young player Silt, whose ability is worlds apart compared to Ballard.

Both of Sunderland’s two conceded goals were somewhat related to him.

His physique is too weak; just look at how Burnley striker Foster easily outmuscled him, showing he cannot compete in the Premier League.

Therefore, that was Silt’s last Premier League appearance; after being overwhelmed by Burnley in this match, he never got another minute on the pitch.

This time,it’s Burnley who are missing their star player — captain Cullen suffered a ligament tear and is out for the season.

Cullen is very strong and versatile.

He is not only the team’s organizational core, leading in short and long passes, but also one of their main attacking weapons.

In the last match against Sunderland, he contributed one goal and one assist, helping Burnley break down their opponents.

Note: Cullen is an iron man,last season he only missed two matches, and in those two games, Burnley recorded one draw and one loss, failing to win.

Also, Sunderland has only won once in their last five matches against Burnley,and that single win happened when Cullen was absent last season.

How poor was Burnley’s attacking organization in that match?

They only managed 4 shots all game, and the chances were very weak!There was basically no hope of scoring.

Here’s the point — Burnley’s attack is usually simple and direct.

They move the ball very quickly, advancing at an average speed of 1.87 meters per second, ranking sixth fastest in the Premier League.

But Sunderland have a characteristic:their defensive line is the deepest in the Premier League, positioned just 39.9 meters from their own goal.

This compresses the opponent’s sprinting space, making it hard for them to utilize their fast-break abilities.

Therefore, Sunderland perform very well against these fast-paced teams.

Currently, Sunderland have played at home against 4 of the 5 teams with faster attacking speeds than Burnley, and they have won all those matches!

So, how about playing Burnley?

The key is Burnley are missing Cullen, weakening their attack, so does that make it even harder for them?

Although Burnley have been unbeaten in their last four games, even drawing against strong teams like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham, Sunderland’s recent win rate is quite low.

But can Sunderland satisfy their fans? What do you think? I’m looking forward to them taking the three points.

Alright, for today’s other matches, I will still send you my written insights tonight. If anything is unclear, feel free to ask me. Let’s watch the games with full understanding, see you then!

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