Josh Cullen put the hosts ahead two minutes into the second half, before the captain set Jaidon Anthony away for the forward to seal the points for the Clarets late on.
It was a bruising afternoon for Sunderland, who face a nervous wait on Dan Ballard after the defender was forced off injured early on.
Here's the story of the game and the main talking points to emerge:
SUNDERLAND'S NEXT TRANSFER MOVE AFTER FRESH BLOW
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On the eve of Sunderland’s Turf Moor trip, Jhon Lucumi’s agent went public in a bid to get his client the Stadium of Light move he wants.
It came after Bologna’s chief executive Claudio Fenucci had set out the Serie A club’s stance earlier in the day when he said "the conditions aren't right for him to be replaced".
Regis Le Bris said on Thursday Sunderland would only sign another central defender if they could land “the right player”. But further strengthening the backline might well have become a must rather than simply an option after Ballard was forced off injured after just eight minutes at Turf Moor.
The sight of Ballard hobbling off so early is a major worry for Sunderland and the defender, who missed 24 Championship games last season through injury.
Jenson Seelt came on to partner Omar Alderete. Only this week, Le Bris admitted a loan move for Seelt remains “possible”, but that was before this setback. Sunderland will want answers on Ballard’s injury as soon as possible, because it will shape what they do in the final week of the window.
PAINFUL LESSON
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Burnley were the toughest nut to crack in the Championship last season, setting defensive records and conceding just 16 goals on their way to automatic promotion.
But they were twice cut open by Sunderland in the early stages at Turf Moor on Saturday, and the [Black Cats](http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/football/sunderland) should have taken at least one of the two chances.
They didn’t and were made to pay, the first crucial and painful Premier League lesson for the Black Cats.
The first opportunity fell to Eliezer Mayenda after Ballard’s knock-down from Granit Xhaka’s set-piece delivery. The striker was perhaps slightly off balance as he looked to turn in from close range but the Spanish Under-21 international was unmarked and only had Martin Dubravka to beat. He should have scored.
Chemsdine Talbi’s chance was far more difficult, the winger latching on to a fine through-ball from fellow wide-man Simon Adringa. His chip over Dubravka was clever but bounced agonisingly wide of the far post.
Sunderland’s defence was comfortable and untroubled before the moment substitute Seelt hit the deck under pressure from Lyle Foster. The striker found the net but the Black Cats were relieved to hear the whistle of referee Michael Salisbury, who blew for a foul and the goal was chalked off.
There was a let-off for Sunderland when Anthony headed wide in first half stoppage time, but the forward made up for that miss with the delightful backheel into the path of Cullen, who curled beyond Roefs just two minutes after the interval.
BIZARRE DELAY
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Sunderland needed to regroup after their slow start to the second half, and got the opportunity to do exactly that when the referee called for the game to be paused because, wait for it, the floodlights were flashing on and off.
At 4.15pm on an August afternoon, a floodlight glitch is not what you expect to be the cause of a Premier League game being halted. There was understandable bewilderment on the pitch and in the stands, but it at least offered Sunderland the chance to gather themselves, as Le Bris plotted the treble change that came 10 minutes after the game restarted…
SHOW OF SUPPORT FROM STANDS
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It was just after the hour mark that Le Bris turned to his bench – and one in particular got an instant seal of approval from Sunderland’s fans.
The sold out away end chanted Enzo Le Fee’s name after the Frenchman’s introduction. Back in May, when the midfielder made his loan move from Roma permanent, nobody could have predicted Le Fee, so impressive and influential last season, would start the campaign on the bench.
Le Bris this week again reiterated Le Fee has a major role to play going forward, but how he’d have loved to make his mark from the bench at Turf Moor. The same could undoubtedly be said of Wilson Isidor after the striker endured what he described as the “worst day of his life” at this ground last season when he missed those two late penalties. He got 27 minutes to make amends.
But the Black Cats failed to create a clear cut opening in a poor second half, and Burnley sealed the win on the break late on when the impressive Cullen sliced Sunderland's defence open with a fine through-ball and Anthony rounded Roefs and scored.