Burnley v Sunderland: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 18:00 BST 22 August
18:00 BST 22 August
Jordan Butler BBC Sport journalist
The first meeting between newly promoted sides takes place this weekend with Burnley and Sunderland experiencing contrasting fortunes during the first round of matches.
Burnley's impressive 100-point promotion campaign was largely underpinned by two key principles – a near-perfect home record and a watertight defence.
The Clarets conceded just 16 goals in 46 Championship games last term but shipped three in an afternoon on their Premier League return last Saturday. Scott Parker's side performed admirably at Tottenham despite the defeat, and the 3-0 scoreline perhaps flattered their hosts.
A return to Lancashire provides a fresh opportunity for Burnley to open their Premier League account and they were unbeaten on home soil last season, with 14 wins and nine draws from their 23 matches at Turf Moor in 2024-25.
Burnley's first home match of 2024-25 was a 5-0 thrashing of Cardiff City, and although a similar result would be welcomed by all connected to the club, it doesn't appear likely. The team were wasteful in north London on Saturday and failed to take any of the 12 chances they created.
Fan favourite Ashley Barnes was not involved at Spurs but the 35-year-old is the top Premier League scorer in the squad with a respectable 42 goals.
He is also their only current player to reach double figures in the division. The next nearest to his total are Armando Broja and Kyle Walker with eight apiece. Last season's 18-goal top scorer Josh Brownhill has also departed the club and so the simple question remains: where are Burnley's goals going to come from?
Finding the net was not a problem for Sunderland on the opening day as they put three unanswered goals past West Ham at a pulsating Stadium of Light.
It was their first victory in the opening month of a top-flight campaign for 15 years and although the club have made 12 signings, Saturday's three scorers all featured heavily in last season's promotion campaign, a fact that head coach Regis le Bris was quick to recognise.
"They showed they can step up today," he said after the match. "They are really important because they keep the identity of the club and the way we worked last season."
The Black Cats could now win their opening two matches of a top-flight season for the first time since 1980-81. They avoided relegation on the final day of that campaign 44 years ago, and three points here would provide a big boost to their chances of survival before the summer is even over.