Josh Cullen’s revival under Scott Parker gives Burnley hope their yo-yo years may be over after a 2-0 win over Sunderland, writes JOE BERNSTEIN – while the Black Cats’ survival hopes are set to come down to home form

One of Vincent Kompany’s most bewildering decisions in his relegation season at Burnley was sidelining Josh Cullen.

In contrast, Scott Parker loves the 29-year-old Republic of Ireland international and made him club captain and first name on the team sheet.

The manager’s faith was rewarded on Saturday as Cullen bossed the show ahead of Sunderland’s quality midfield trio of Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki.

Not only that, when team-mates were struggling to put chances away, Cullen popped up with a rare goal and capped his man-of-the-match performance with an outstanding pass for Jaidon Anthony to wrap up the points late on.

It was an added nice touch that before the game he had carried his three-month-old baby son onto the hallowed Turf Moor pitch.

With promotions and relegations in each of their last four seasons, The Clarets are the ultimate yo-yo club but with Cullen pulling the strings, gloom and doom merchants who predicted they’ll be heading down again may yet be proven wrong.

Certainly, their liking for clean sheets – 30 last season – suggests if they can get in front, they can hold on.

It was the case on this occasion. They were happy to restrict Sunderland in the first half and then broke out after 47 minutes with Anthony’s backheel setting up Cullen to curl home from 20 yards.

One goal always looked enough but a bonus after 88 minutes did nicely, Anthony rounding goalkeeper Robin Roefs to slot home with only their second shot on target.

‘I thought Josh was incredible,’ said Clarets manager Scott Parker. ‘He set us on our way and then got an assist. He led us like a captain, and he leads us every day in training as well.’

Sunderland were anaemic compared to last weekend’s rousing performance and 3-0 win at home to West Ham.

It suggests there will be a significant difference between their form at the Stadium of Light and elsewhere, means their survival prospects look reliant on preserving the feelgood factor in the north-east.

That must start next Saturday with a winnable home game against Brentford.

In mitigation to Regis Le Bris, he had to compete at Turf Moor having lost key defender Dan Ballard to injury after only nine minutes.

Ballard is the poster-boy of Sunderland’s revival, scoring the goal that took them to last season’s Wembley play-off final and then again against West Ham. Black Cats fans will hope his groin injury is not as serious as it looked.

‘We missed him against Burnley’s direct play. We will wait for the tests on Monday,’ said Le Bris.