Sunderland should have 'nothing to fear' when they take on runaway Championship leaders Burnley this weekend, insists Tony Mowbray. The Black Cats face what, on paper, looks like their toughest game of the season as they travel to Turf Moor on Friday night for their clash with Vincent Kompany's side.
Burnley are unbeaten at home this season and are heading straight back to the Premier League after relegation last season, with the Clarets 13 points clear of their nearest rivals Sheffield United at the top of the table - and with a 16-point cushion between themselves and the play-off spots. But Sunderland have already shown that they are capable of beating the clubs at the top end of the table, having defeated Boro and fellow play-off contenders Blackburn Rovers, Millwall, and Norwich already this season - and they also gave Burnley an almighty scare at the Stadium of Light in October when they led 2-0 at half-time, albeit they eventually went on to lose 4-2.
Mowbray says Sunderland will play their normal attacking game at Turf Moor, rather than try to put men behind the ball and try to escape with a point. "We'll go and be aggressive and attack the game, as we have done in all the games so far," said Mowbray.
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"Sometimes the opposition's quality can push you back but we won't go with the mindset of being defensive, we'll take the game to them. As I've said over recent weeks, it's almost like a free hit for us so let's go and see how we get on, play our game and see if we can create some chances.
"The collective structure of the team, out of possession against a top team you have to work hard and we have done that, generally, against the top teams. Norwich are a side that has been in the Premier League recently and yet we went there and did a decent job, we played [Premier League] Fulham twice in the FA Cup and did a decent job.
"We shouldn't fear anybody, really, we should go and have a go and be positive. That's what we intend to do on Friday."
Kompany's side need just three wins from their final nine matches to seal automatic promotion, and possibly less than that if third-placed Middlesbrough drop points in the run-in. But much will depend on how they approach the game against the Black Cats.
Mowbray said: "I'm not sure what their mentality is going to be coming into the game. The league is almost won for them - they need another two or three wins, so it's almost done.
"If they are really focused and want to get it done as quickly as they can, then that's good because then we have to beat them when they are their very, very best. If they see it as a game that's winnable for them and they don't quite apply themselves, we will have an opportunity to impose ourselves on them.
"We're respectful of their talent and what they've got and what they've achieved this season, but this is an opportunity for us to test ourselves."
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