Burnley 2 Sunderland 0

  Andre Gray – whose hat-trick here on old year’s night blew Sunderland away in the Premier League – then came off the bench to guarantee a seventh victory in eight home games with his sixth goal of the season.

  And the Clarets will have home advantage again against Championship opposition in the last 32 of the competition following City’s replay win as Fleetwood as they keep a remarkable season firing on two fronts.

   Dyche made seven changes from the side that had started last Saturday’s Premier League win over Southampton as he utilised the strength of the Clarets’ squad.

   But the intensity of the performance didn’t drop in the opening stages of a third meeting between the two sides in the space of just 16 days.

   Jeff Hendrick, whose influence is seemingly growing by the week, set the tone with an early strike parried by Vito Mannone before teeing up George Boyd for another effort which warmed the hands of the Sunderland keeper.

  And Mannone, beaten four times at Turf Moor in the league meeting at the turn of the year, had to be even more alert with 15 minutes gone to keep out a fierce drive from Boyd after he had been slipped in by Steven Defour.

  The Clarets were pretty much in control throughout the first half against a Sunderland side which started with leading scorer Jermain Defoe on the bench in an effort to preserve his legs for the league campaign.

  And an increase in tempo again just before the break paid dividends.

 

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Match Report