Tony Mowbray was proud of the way his Sunderland side competed with a Burnley team he described as the best in the Championship - and insists the Black Cats could have won at Turf Moor. Sunderland earned a point in a goalless draw against the Clarets in Lancashire, becoming only the third team this season to keep a clean sheet in the league against Vincent Kompany's runaway leaders who are destined to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
And the Black Cats' night could have got even better if Amad had seen his shot loop under the crossbar rather than come back off the woodwork 20 minutes from time, or had Abdoullah Ba not been standing in an offside position when Jack Clarke found the net from an unlikely angle near the end. But, despite that, Mowbray was pleased with the way his side performed in front of the Sky TV cameras as they stood up to the test in what was undoubtedly their toughest game of the season against a Burnley side that remains unbeaten at home.
"When you come here you know you are playing the best team in the league - their points suggest that, their victories suggest that, and I don't think they've been beaten at home this season," said Mowbray. "I said before the game that we just had to go and challenge ourselves, really, go and compete and enjoy the night.
