A BULLISH Mick McCarthy last night told Sunderland's promotion rivals: "Let's see how you like handling the heat".

After weeks of hanging onto the coat-tails of Wigan and Ipswich, yesterday's 2-0 win at Burnley took the Black Cats to the top of the Championship for the first time this season.

McCarthy's side have spent the last two months playing catch-up as the battle for promotion to the Premiership has turned into a three-way tussle.

But, after goals from Liam Lawrence and Marcus Stewart ended the resistance of a hard-working Burnley side at Turf Moor, it is now the turn of Sunderland's two rivals to sweat it out.

The pair go head to head at the JJB Stadium this afternoon but, after watching his side do their bit in Lancashire, McCarthy couldn't care less what happens later today.

"People have asked me what I result I want," said McCarthy. "I couldn't give a fiddlers.

"The most important thing is that we've done all we can. When we were third we were looking enviously at the teams in first and second, so it's nice to be in that position ourselves.

"We're top of the table tonight, but I've seen such a turnaround in the past that I'm taking nothing for granted.

"Ipswich were six points clear not so long ago and they're now third, so I'm sure there'll be a few more twists between now and the end of the season."

Sunderland's win was due, in no small part, to yet another commanding display from defensive duo Gary Breen and Stephen Caldwell. McCarthy had criticised his side's backline for conceding a string of sloppy goals against Watford, Brighton and Rotherham, but was quick to praise their contribution to a 14th Championship clean sheet. "The defence was magnificent," he said. "The two lads in the middle were superb - they've been a good partnership all season.

"We've got good partnerships all over the field, but those two have been especially solid.

"We've conceded goals in recent weeks and they've been culpable in that, so it was nice for them to play as well as they did against a side who caused problems."

Sunderland's win was overshadowed by the dramatic late dismissal of Burnley striker Ade Akinbiyi, just two and a half minutes after he came onto the field as a substitute for Michael Duff.

Akinbiyi, who was making his debut after a recent move from Stoke, saw red in more ways than one as he elbowed George McCartney before headbutting the full-back right in front of referee Iain Williamson.

"I have some sympathy for (Burnley boss) Steve Cotterill," said McCartney. "He puts him on knowing he can be a threat, but then he stupidly gets himself sent off like that.

"I'm sure Steve will deal with that as he sees fit, but it's the kind of thing that makes you tear your hair out."

Cotterill endured a nightmare five months on Wearside as assistant to Howard Wilkinson, so it was perhaps inevitable that things would not go to plan when he crossed paths with the Black Cats again.

"I don't think the referee got many things right, but unfortunately he got that one correct," he said.

"I think I can safely say that Ade's Burnley career will get better from here."

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