Kyle Walker did not hold back after Burnley’s 3-0 defeat at Sunderland, delivering a brutal assessment of his side’s survival fight
Burnley defender Kyle Walker delivered a damning verdict on his side’s latest defeat after their Premier League struggles deepened with a 3-0 loss to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Clarets were second best throughout against a Sunderland side who took control early and never loosened their grip, extending Burnley’s winless league run to 15 matches and leaving them second-bottom in the table, 11 points from safety.
Sunderland made the breakthrough inside nine minutes when Habib Diarra’s effort deflected off Axel Tuanzebe and looped beyond Martin Dúbravka. The hosts doubled their advantage before the break, Diarra again on target following a sweeping move down the right.
Any faint hope of a Burnley response was ended late on when Chemsdine Talbi added a third with a stunning strike from distance, capping a dominant display from Régis Le Bris’s side, who moved up to eighth in the Premier League and extended their unbeaten home run to 12 matches.
Walker, speaking to Sky Sports after the game, did not attempt to soften the assessment of Burnley’s performance or their wider situation. "Terrible. We've come here to get something from the game and got nothing, so as a club that's fighting for survival, it's not acceptable.
“It's 22 men on a football pitch, it's about who wants it more, and they wanted it more than us. I'd say the hunger's there. The lads work hard day in, day out, the hunger's there, but sometimes football matches aren't won on hunger; they're won by using your head and playing the game of football. When certain situations arise in a game, you're meant to deal with them in a manner that's appropriate for that situation. We don't, for whatever reason, seem to do that."
What did Régis Le Bris say after the Burnley game?
Régis Le Bris praised Habib Diarra after the midfielder marked his return to Sunderland’s starting line-up with a decisive display in the 3-0 win over Burnley, insisting the 20-year-old can play a major role for the remainder of the season.
Diarra was central to Sunderland’s dominance, scoring twice in the first half, although his opening effort was later credited as an Axel Tuanzebe own goal. His second strike therefore stood as his first goal for the club, coming on just his fourth start following a long spell out through injury and AFCON duty.
Speaking afterwards, Le Bris said Diarra embodied exactly what Sunderland had targeted during the summer recruitment window. “It's a new signing for us,” Le Bris said. “We spoke together this week about a new start. We supported him through his injury, then through AFCON, and we were absolutely convinced that when he comes back with us, he will have the quality as a player, but he's really competitive as well.
“He wants to win, he wants to press, he wants to score, and he gives us this energy, which is really important in this league. He was one of our first signings, so he set the tone for us when we decided to go with him, and he agreed, obviously. He came late in the squad, but now I hope he will continue this kind of performances.”
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
Diarra also developed an encouraging understanding with striker Brian Brobbey, who played a key role despite failing to find the net. Le Bris felt Brobbey’s influence continues to grow within the side. “Brian is getting better,” Le Bris said. “I think game after game, you can see how strong he is in this part of the pitch.
“I think his teammates now want to play with him, want to feed him. When we get pressed man for man, for example, we still have this option to go long, then we can support, and we can break the press. So it was really important today. He could have scored, maybe once or twice, but he worked really hard.”
Continue Reading