Burnley manager Vincent Kompany praised Sunderland as a “exciting, young team” after the Black Cats earned a point at Turf Moor.
Sunderland produced a disciplined defensive performance to frustrate the Championship leaders, who are on course for an immediate return to the Premier League despite needing eight more points from their remaining eight games to mathematically ensure automatic promotion.
And Tony Mowbray’s side could have won it, with substitute Amad hitting the crossbar and Jack Clarke having a late ‘goal’ correctly ruled out for offside, though Kompany claimed his side had the better chances overall, despite forcing Anthony Patterson into only one notable save..
“It felt like it was on a knife edge for the majority of the game,” Kompany said.
“It never felt like one team or the other was completely dominating.” Sunderland played well and made it difficult for us, but my recollection is that we had the better chances.
On a night like this, it only takes one moment to lose or win the game. I can’t see it right now, but I’m sure I’ll see it as a positive outcome tomorrow.
“It was a close game between Southampton and Fulham in the FA Cup.” These Championship teams are good – I like Sunderland because they have an exciting young team that can improve every week..
We feel the same way. You come back from internationals with a clean sheet, the lads gave it their all, and I still believe we have a lot to look forward to.
Sunderland became only the third team this season to keep a clean sheet in the league against the runaway Clarets – and the first to do so at Turf Moor in almost a year, with Manchester City the last team to do so in the Premier League one year ago tomorrow – while Burnley maintained their unbeaten home record. “I thought it was going to happen at some point,” Kompany said.
Sometimes the opposition finds a way, but this was not the case..
My defenders will be pleased with the clean sheet and the chances that we missed on another day, and my hope is that they go in on Friday [when Burnley travel to third-placed Middlesbrough].
“With that team, I never have that feeling [of not scoring].” Never. You know it’s going to happen eventually, and it’s critical not to lose the game.
“Was it our best effort? Most likely not. However, as a manager, you must stand by your team after they have given their all. That’s exactly what they did. We’ll play the next game..
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