Habib Diarra shines as Sunderland cruise past Burnley in Premier League thriller

SUNDERLAND: Sunderland’s record signing Habib Diarra started to pay up his fee by playing a major role in the club that comfortably defeated the struggling Burnley 3-0 here at Stadium of Light on Monday, and thus it is currently ranked eighth in the Premier League table.

Diarra made a ninth-minute shot, which was deflected off Axel Tuanzebe, a defender of Burnley, and originally credited to the midfielder, was subsequently regulated as an own goal.

However, newcomer Diarra, just back after winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, ensured his name on the scoresheet with a close-range shot in the 32nd minute, his first goal since joining Sunderland in a purported club record 30-million-pound (40.99 million) deal.

In the 72nd minute, Chemsdine Talbi wrapped up a comfortable win with Sunderland, who are still unbeaten at the Stadium this season, with a curling long-range shot, outside of the penalty area.

Burnley, who are 11 points behind, and are currently in no mood to win the relegation battle, never posed much of a threat to them, as they are 19th in the table.

Sunderland scored his first goal on a wet Stadium of Light in front of 46,379, and Diarra had escaped a shot when Brian Brobbey had delivered him a clever pass, and the shot took an ill-fated turn off Tuanzebe.

According to TV replays, Diarra was about to shoot into the wide before Tuanzebe diverted the shot, and after some 15 minutes, the shot was changed to an own goal after the Goal Accreditation Panel reviewed it.