SUNDERLAND, England, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Sunderland's record signing Habib Diarra began to pay back his fee with a leading role as the hosts easily beat struggling Burnley 3-0 on Monday to move up to eighth in the Premier League standings.
Diarra's ninth-minute shot took a deflection off Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe and although initially credited to the midfielder, it was later changed to an own goal.
But Diarra, freshly returned from winning the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, made sure of his name on the scoresheet with a close-range effort in the 32nd minute, his first goal for Sunderland since his move from Strasbourg in a reported club-record 30-million-pound ($40.99 million) deal.
Chemsdine Talbi scored in the 72nd minute with a curling long-range strike from outside the penalty area to seal a comfortable victory for Sunderland, who remain the only side yet to lose a home game in the Premier League this season.
They were never under much threat from Burnley, who remain second from bottom in the standings, 11 points from safety, and are now without a win in their last 15 league outings as they face relegation.
Sunderland’s opening goal at a rainy Stadium of Light, in front of 46,370, had Diarra get away a shot after Brian Brobbey had set him up with a clever touch, and the effort took an unfortunate deflection off Tuanzebe.
TV replays showed Diarra's shot was going wide before Tuanzebe's deflection, so after some 15 minutes, it was amended to an own goal, following review by the Goal Accreditation Panel.
DIARRA MAKING POSITIVE IMPRESSION
There was no doubt about the identity of the scorer of the second, as Diarra profited from Nordi Mukiele's pull-back pass from the right wing to shoot home from close-in.
Diarra was injured in September, not long after his arrival at Sunderland, and underwent groin surgery, returning to action one week before leaving for the Cup of Nations. But he has made a positive impression since his return from the tournament in Morocco.
Talbi’s spectacular goal was his third of the season and helped ensure Sunderland moved up three places to within touching distance of the European places with a ninth league win of the season.
"We want to reach the top. If we can get top six or top five. There are a lot of matches coming so we have to focus on the next game," said Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki.
Burnley did not manage a single shot on goal in the game and with games beginning to run out are looking more likely to be heading back to the second-tier Championship.
($1 = 0.7319 pounds)
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
