PIERRE EKWAH will make his first Sunderland start in this evening's Championship game at Burnley.

The French midfielder has been named in the Black Cats' starting line-up as one of three changes at Turf Moor.

Ekwah replaces Edouard Michut, who drops down to the bench, and is set to start alongside Dan Neil at the heart of midfield.

Dan Ballard is unavailable because of injury, with his place in Sunderland's back four being taken by Lynden Gooch.

Gooch is expected to line-up at left-back, with Luke O'Nien partnering Danny Batth at centre-half.

The other change comes in the attacking-midfield positions, with Alex Pritchard returning to the starting line-up in place of Abdoullah Ba.

Amad Diallo is once again named on the substitutes' bench as Sunderland attempt to become the first away side to win at Turf Moor this season.


BURNLEY (4-2-3-1): Muric; Roberts, Harwood-Bellis, Beyer, Maatsen; Cullen, Brownhill; Tella, Benson, Zaroury; Barnes.

Subs: Peacock-Farrell, Cork, Gudmundsson, Ekdal, Vitinho, Twine, Obafemi.

SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): Patterson; Hume, O'Nien, Batth, Gooch; Neil, Ekwah; Roberts, Pritchard, Clarke; Gelhardt.

Subs: Bass, Amad, Lihadji, Ba, Anderson, Michut, Cirkin.