SOCCER: Diarra leads Sunderland's charge as they move up to eighth place

SUNDERLAND, England – Sunderland’s record signing Habib Diarra made a big impact as the hosts comfortably beat struggling Burnley 3-0 on Monday, moving up to eighth in the Premier League standings.

Diarra’s ninth-minute shot deflected off Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe and was initially credited to the midfielder before being ruled an own goal. But Diarra ensured his name appeared on the scoresheet in the 32nd minute with a close-range finish, marking his first goal for Sunderland since his club-record £30 million ($40.99 million) move from Strasbourg.

Chemsdine Talbi added a stunning long-range strike in the 72nd minute to seal the victory, giving Sunderland a ninth league win and keeping them unbeaten at home this season.

Burnley, second from bottom in the standings, offered little resistance. They remain 11 points from safety and have now gone 15 league games without a win, raising fears of relegation.

Sunderland’s opener came on a rainy night at the Stadium of Light in front of 46,370 fans. Brian Brobbey set up Diarra with a clever touch, and the midfielder’s shot took an unfortunate deflection off Tuanzebe. TV replays showed Diarra’s attempt was initially off target, leading the Goal Accreditation Panel to amend the goal to an own goal after 15 minutes.

Diarra Making Positive Impression

There was no doubt about the scorer of Sunderland’s second goal, as Diarra finished from close range following a pull-back pass from Nordi Mukiele.

Diarra had suffered a groin injury in September shortly after joining Sunderland and underwent surgery. He returned to action just one week before leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations, which he won with Senegal. Since returning from Morocco, Diarra has made a strong impression on his club.

Talbi’s third goal of the season came with a brilliant curling strike from outside the box, moving Sunderland closer to a European spot.

"We want to reach the top. If we can get top six or top five, that would be great. There are a lot of matches coming, so we have to focus on the next game," said Sunderland midfielder Noah Sadiki.

Burnley failed to register a single shot on goal, and with time running out, their return to the Championship looks increasingly likely.

($1 = 0.7319 pounds)

Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge/Reuters