Good afternoon folks and thanks for joining Sports Mole's live commentary of Burnley's Premier League clash with Sunderland.

Turf Moor plays host and this afternoon's encounter represents a good opportunity for both teams to pick up their first win of the Premier League season. Burnley have drawn two and lost two on their return to the top flight, while Sunderland have lost once and drawn three. Surely something has to give today? Let's hope so because, while it's only September, victories now may lessen the urgency for victories toward the end of the season.

You do worry for Burnley, in particular. One of the reasons why they're still winless is because they're not scoring the goals. Sure, they've kept back-to-back clean sheets, but a seemingly tight defence will not prevent them from going straight back down to the Championship. Goals win games and you wonder where they're going to come from.

The Clarets have managed to score just one in their opening four outings - Scott Arfield in their curtain-raiser with Chelsea. If you told Burnley boss Sean Dyche that a midfielder, with one goal, would be his side's top goalscorer by mid-September he might not have believed you but this is the reality - and sadly they're not exactly flush with goalscoring options to solve their woes in the final third.

Striker Danny Ings, who is sidelined today with a hamstring injury, has so far failed to make the step up in class after 21 Championship goals last season. His strike partner of last term Sam Vokes is a long-term absentee, meaning that Marvin Sordell and Lukas Jutciewicz are entrusted with the goalscoring burden today, two players as unproven as Ings at this level and who were less prolific than him in the Championship. It's not inspiring, is it?

We'll talk about Sunderland soon but let's get cracking on the team news first, shall we? I'll have this for you very shortly, but in the meantime why not check out what the lads down at Sports Mole HQ have had to say on this one? Go on.

Burnley XI: Heaton; Trippier, Shackell, Duff, Mee; Arfield, Jones, Marney, Boyd; Sordell, Jutkiewicz

Sunderland XI: Mannone; Vergini, van Aanholt, Brown, O'Shea; Cattermole; Larsson, Rodwell, Johnson, Giaccherini; Wickham

Burnley subs: Gilks, Wallace, Kightly, Keane, Barnes, Reid, Ward

Sunderland subs: Jones, Bridcutt, Gomez, Altidore, Graham, Buckley, Pantilimon

Okay so let's start with Burnley and, as we know, Ings is not involved today due to a hamstring injury. Instead, Sordell comes in to partner Jutkiewicz in attack as Dyche makes one change from the 0-0 draw away to Crystal Palace last time out. Deadline-day signing George Boyd retains his place in midfield, while it's the same back four that has kept back-to-back clean sheets.

Likewise, Sunderland boss Gus Poyet makes one change to his first XI from the 2-2 draw with Spurs last week, with Emanuele Giacherini replacing Ricky Alvarez, who has not been named in the squad. We'll get into this omission a little later. Lee Cattermole shields a defence of John O'Shea, Wes Brown, Santiago Vergini and Patrick van Aanholt, while Vito Mannone starts in net.

Wickham also starts up front today again, despite not finding the net this season. The former Ipswich Town striker was instrumental in helping the Black Cats win their relegation battle last season, scoring five in their final six games - including against Manchester City and Chelsea - to help the club stay up. He has started all four of Sunderland's games this term but the goals haven't flowed as they did toward the end of last season.

Coming to the fore in a relegation battle is great, but can he come up with the goals in the meantime to steer Sunderland away from the cliff edge they stood on last season? This is the question. I fancy him for a goal today though. He netted a few against Burnley in his Ipswich Town days so maybe he'll break his duck against them this afternoon.

Gus Poyet will be disappointed by Sunderland's start to the season. They were expected to really kick on this season after coming so close to losing their top-flight status, but it hasn't really happened yet. Still, three points from a possible 12 is still a far better return than the one point from 24 they had by November last year. And we should note that it's still only September but, as we discussed, victories earlier in the campaign lessens the need for points in the business end.

It's interesting to see Ricky Alvarez left out today. Along with Jack Rodwell, Alvarez represented a high-profile coup for Poyet, who signed the Argentina international on a season-long loan from Inter Milan, but he didn't have the best of debuts against Spurs last week, and that may be linked to his omission today. Of course, he could also be injured so we probably can't read too much into that.

No sign of Steven Fletcher either, who started three of the Black Cats' four Premier League outings so far. Like Alvarez, the Scottish striker was not thought to be a doubt for this one so their absences are unexplained at this time.

Incidentally, Fletcher is actually Burnley's highest goalscorer in the Premier League after scoring eight times in their ill-fated 2009-10 campaign. He might have fancied a goal on a pitch he knows so well.

Did you know? Sunderland's first visit to Turf Moof came way back in 1890 when both sides played out a 3-3 draw? This is true. It was Michael Duff's Burnley debut. This isn't true. Anyway, it would be fantastic to see a repeat of that scoreline but, as we discussed earlier, it's not likely with Burnley's front line, is it? Time will tell though.

Stat! Here's another stat ahead of kickoff, and Burnley fans should look away now: the Clarets have only managed one victory in their last 12 encouners with Sunderland, losing six and drawing five. Ominous, or do head-to-head meetings count for little in football? We'll see if Burnley can end that hoodoo this afternoon.

Prediction! There's little point in predicting the outcome of Premier League matches, a lesson learnt by hundreds of failed accumulators down the years, but we'll do it for the laugh. I'm going for a Sunderland win. I think they're prone to conceding goals, but I also think they're well capable of out-scoring Burnley here this afternoon. 3-1 Black Cats, with Wickham scoring at least one of those. Final answer.

Burnley actually won the last top-flight meeting between the sides at Turf Moor, winning 3-1 thanks to a Gary Alexander penalty and two goals from David Nugent. Nobody from either starting XI today played that day.

The Turf Moor pitch looks absolutely immaculate it has to be said as both sets of players make their way on to the field. They may not win much by way of honours this season, but Groundsman of the Year is up for grabs.

Sean Dyche and Gus Poyet enjoy some pre-match banter in the dugout and we're just moments away now. Anthony Taylor will referee this one.

Aaaaaaaaaand we're off. Burnley get us underway and Sunderland already have the ball after 10 seconds.

Despite that early loss of possession, Burnley start really well and probably would have gone ahead if not for John O'Shea, who cut out George Boyd's teasing cross as Marvin Sordell prepared to pounce at the near post.

Sunderland search for Connor Wickham for the first time, as Emanuele Giacherini - making his first start this season - swings a right-footed cross into the box but it's over the head of Wickham. I think there's goals in this one.

Chance! Oh dear it should most definitely be 1-0 to Burnley. Cattermole's backward header is pounced on by Lukas Jutkiewicz, who pulls back for the unmarked Sordell but the striker, with just Mannone to beat, completely slices his shot. Would Ings have missed that?

Dean Marney's heavy touch on the halfway line nearly allows Sunderland to break on the counter, but the midfielder did well and won the ball back instantly.

Shot! This is a really good start for Burnley as David Jones plays in Jutkiewicz, whose shot is well held by Mannone. Wes Brown might have got a last-gasp touch to take the pace away from his shot a little.

Shot! Sunderland go down the other end and register their first shot as Emanuele Giacherini cuts inside his marker and fires straight at Tom Heaton.

Wickham thought he might be in but the young striker fouled Michael Duff in the build-up, nudging the veteran centre-half in the back before making his way toward goal but referee Anthony Taylor was having none of it.

Good chance for Seb Larsson to showcase his delivery now after being fouled by Kieran Tripper....

Jack Rodwell climbed above Jason Shackell to reach Larsson's free kick, but his header sailed well wide over the bar. Good response by Sunderland after Burnley bossed the opening stages.

Chance! Another very decent chance for Burnley goes begging, but it's Jones this time. He passed it into the feet of Boyd, who produced a couple of Cryuff turns on the edge of the area before Jones took it off him and drilled straight at Mannone. Might have done better.

Great work by Burnley left-back Ben Mee, who gets back in the nick of time to take the ball of Rodwell's toes. His eyes lit up after being played in by Giacherini, but Mee intervened. Good work.

Jutkiewicz just shows why he is chasing his first goal this season, volleying high and wide over the bar from outside the box. Still, he's probably been Burnley's best attacking player thus far.

The sting has been taken out of this one a little in recent minutes after a lively opening 25 minutes or so.

Close! Right-back Santiago Vergini, who was in the middle of the box for some reason, goes close by glancing Adam Johnson's cross just wide of Tom Heaton's far post. It had the keeper scrambling across but he might have had it covered.

I can't say what the Burnley fans are singing about referee Anthony Taylor, but they're not happy after the official penalised Jutkiewicz for a tangle with Wes Brown. Very little in it, but it did look like Brown was more in the wrong. Can't condone that type of language though!

Shot! Wickham drills a shot down the throat of Heaton from outside the box, but he might've squared it to Giacherini, was free on that right-hand flank. Wrong option from the young striker there, but it's moments like that which help his development.

I saw Wes Brown on Who Does the Dishes recently, and the centre-back might have to clean Vito Mannone's whole house now because he got his defender out of a major jam there by coming to clear a tame back pass.

Five minutes from the break here and Poyet will be undoubtedly the happier of two managers with that scoreline if it stays level. Dyche's tactics are working but they've still got a few frailties in that final third.

Burnley look keen on getting some reward for their goalmouth dominance in this half as they look to end the half strongly.

Sunderland boast 59% of the ball in this half, but it's Burnley who have had far and away the best chances. Around a minute left in this half now.

Burnley and Sordell launch a few half-hearted appeals for a penalty after Wes Brown climbed all over the striker in the box to win a header. Never a penalty.

What do you get when you combine one team that can defend but can't score, with another team that can't defend but can score? Yep, you get a 0-0 half-time draw. Sunderland have the possession. Burnley have had the chances and that's what will worry Gus Poyet now. Marvin Sordell missed the best chance of the half early on and Sean Dyche will be concerned about his team's finishing here.

Sordell and Jutkiewicz have combined quite well at times, but you never get the feeling that either are going to have the clinical touch necessary in front of goal to take a chance that comes their way. Still, they've got 45 minutes in which to prove myself and anybody else wrong.

Stat! Lukas Jutkiewicz has been more involved than his opposite number Connor Wickham it seems, with Jutkiewicz having 24 touches compared to Wickham's 10, while also boasting three shots more than him.

And we're back underway at Turf Moor. Sunderland kick us off here and they've already won a free kick.

No changes from either side at the break but Emanuele Giacherini looks like he'll start this half a little more centrally, having spent the first half on the left wing.

Good start to this half by Sunderland and Adam Johnson goes on one of those weaving runs of his, but after going inside a few bodies, Ben Mee comes across to put off the winger before he can get his shot away.

Shot! David Jones has Burnley's first shot of the half, but it's a shocker and ends up closer to the corner flag. I wonder if he knows Europe Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has already made his selections.

Shot! Another shot and this one is a bit better than the last as Rodwell takes aim from range and his left-footed effort is spilled by Heaton, but Wickham is too far away to pounce on the fumble.

Chance! This is a great chance for Sunderland but it's still 0-0. Adam Johnson finds Giacherini completely unmarked on inside the area, but his first touch lets him down badly before firing a cross-come-shot across the face of goal but Jason Shackell takes it off Rodwell's toes. Huge intervention there.

Chance! Another very decent chance for Sunderland here, as John O'Shea heads straight at Tom Heaton from a free kick. It wasn't as straight-forward of a chance as it sounds, but it was a chance. Really good start to this half by the visitors.

Booking: Jack Rodwell is the first player booked by referee Anthony Taylor this afternoon after a nasty challenge on Burnley's George Boyd. Right decision.

Substitution: Marvin Sordell is replaced by Ashley Barnes for Burnley. He did look slightly out of his depth here this afternoon, in truth.

Bit of movement on the Sunderland bench now as it looks like Jordi Gomez and Jozy Altidore are getting stripped and ready to enter the frey here.

Double substitution: Yep, Gomez replaces Sebastian Larsson, while Adam Johnson goes off for Jozy Altidore. Two strikers on the field now for Sunderland. Will it make a difference?

Save! Scott Arfield, who has Burnley's only goal this season, goes close to bagging their second as his sneaky near-post shot is cut out by Manonne. Decent save from the Italian. This one is starting to come to life a bit more.

I've seen penalties given for much, much less. Burnley fans are fuming. Jutkiewicz spins Wes Brown in the box before he is taken out by Giacherini. He's quite lucky he's not been penalised for that. Outside the box and it's a free kick.

Substitution: Giacherini is pulled ashore for Will Buckley, who missed a sitter against Spurs to win the game last week, and if he gets another chance like that he can't afford to miss this one.

Chance! Burnley well on top in this now and Jutkiewicz, from an angle, fires goalward but Manonne beats it away to a Sunderland defender thankfully. Another really good chance.

Booking: Anthony Taylor pulls John O'Shea up for an earlier foul on Jutkiewicz. He pulled the Burnley forward back a bit in the lead up to that shot.

Shot! Another shot from Jutkiewicz, spinning O'Shea before shooting on the turn but his effort is always curling wide. By no means as clear cut as the previous one, but he might have done better.

This one is delicately poised ahead of the final 10 minutes or so, but if anybody's going to win it has to be Burnley. Sunderland's subs have had no impact. It has been one-way traffic since their introductions.

Substitution: Rod wallace replaces David Jones, who went down injured a moment ago. Sunderland enjoying an extended spell of possession now but I'd be surprised if this one doesn't end up goalless at this stage. Five to go.

Off the bar! Just as I say this one is destined to end goalless, Burnley go and hit the bar! It was Barnes, whose shot from outside the box took a nick off Cattermole and looped over Manonne, but bounced against the crossbar. What must Burnley do to get their first win?

"Come on Burnley" chants the home fans. They want to see the end of that four-game winless streak this afternoon. Precious little time remaining, though. Let's see what the next few minutes throws up.

Off the post! Patrick van Aanholt is millimeters away from being Sunderland's hero. The left-back takes aim from well outside the box, but Tom Heaton tips his fiercely struck shot on to the post, before it rebounds off the stopper and goes out for a corner. The football gods haven't shone on either of these two winless teams this afternoon.

Burnley finishing this one on top as Wallace swings in a few decent crosses, one of which Mannone flapped at and Wes Brown had to be alert to header away and prevent Jutkiewicz from capitalising. Frantic finale here.

That's all she wrote as referee Anthony Taylor blows for full time in what turned out to be a very entertaining goalless draw. It was same script different gameweek for both sides really, who remain winless after five games. Third successive 0-0 draw for Burnley.

Well that's all we've got time for this afternoon, my friends. Thank you for joining Sports Mole and stay tuned for analysis and player ratings for this one. Stay classy folks.