Gray hat-trick sinks Sunderland

Andre Gray became the first Burnley player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League as the Clarets thrashed Sunderland 4-1 at Turf Moor.

Gray capitalised on some woeful Sunderland defending to break the deadlock after 31 minutes, before adding a well-taken second six minutes after the interval.

Gray’s and Burnley’s first Premier League treble was complete two minutes later, as he had the simple task of side-footing home after great work from Ashley Barnes, before the latter made sure of the three points with a fourth in the 67th minute from the penalty spot.

Jermain Defoe, who was starved of service all afternoon, did manage to make the scoreline more respectable with a late consolation.

The Clarets were excellent value for their win – their seventh home success of the campaign and we still have half the season to go. They climb to 11th, while Sunderland remain deep in the relegation mire in 18th.

Sunderland were forced into a goalkeeper change ahead of the match, with Jordan Pickford ruled out for up to two months this week, but Vito Mannone, who came in for Pickford, went largely untroubled early on, as the visitors started brightly.

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