Burnley fell to another disappointing cup defeat against lower league opposition, losing 3-1 against League 1 Sunderland at Turf Moor.
Sean Dyche made ten changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, with Jay Rodriguez making his first competitive start since returning to the club and Danny Drinkwater also making his first-team debut.
Jack Ross made eight changes to his side, following Sunderland's 3-1 win against AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, but they were well deserving of causing a shock in the Carabao Cup Second Round with an excellent second-half display completing a memorable comeback for the visitors.
Burnley blunted after bright start
Burnley, looking to avoid a sixth successive cup defeat against lower league opposition, started the game quite brightly and took the lead on 12 minutes with Rodriguez finding the net from the edge of the box following good play from Matej Vydra.
Dyche's side came close to doubling their lead on the half-hour mark, with Aaron Lennon firing an effort against the right-hand post before Vydra's follow up also came back of the upright.
Sunderland though were beginning to grow into the contest and looking a threat on the counter, and the visitors nearly drew level with George Dobson glancing an effort just wide following a dangerous ball in from Denver Hume.
Ross' side managed to find an equaliser ten minutes before the break, with Hume's cross taking a deflection off Drinkwater and falling kindly to Will Grigg, who clinically finished to register his first goal of the campaign.
Sunderland seal cup upset
Sunderland emerged for the second half with renewed belief and confidence of causing a cup shock and took the lead just two minutes into the second period with Joe Hart parrying an effort from Lynden Gooch straight to Tom Flanagan who headed home to put the visitors in front.
Ross' side swiftly doubled their advantage just three minutes later and put the tie beyond Burnley's reach. Dobson was left completely unmarked on the edge of the box from a Sunderland corner and he slotted the ball into the bottom corner to make it 3-1.
Burnley searched for a potential route back into the game and came close with Kevin Long being kept out twice in the space of a few moments, with two headers from the Republic of Ireland international being kept out by Sunderland keeper Lee Burge.
Dyche sent on Chris Wood as he attempted to get his side back into the game, but the striker could only steer an effort wide of the goal as he attempted to put the ball beyond the advancing Burge. Ultimately though the Clarets did not do enough and Sunderland ran out deserved winners.
Takeaways from the game
There can be little positives for Dyche to take from yet another lacklustre performance against lower league opposition in the cup competitions.
Rodriguez did register his first goal for the club since rejoining from West Bromwich Albion and Drinkwater was given the full 90 minutes as he steps up his fitness.
However, other than that this was a very poor night for the clarets and a game where none of the players selected to start did anything to stake a claim for a regular starting birth. Burnley's cup record is becoming more than a frustration to the supporters and needs to be addressed going forward somehow.
Conversely, for Sunderland this was an excellent night, Ross was able to rest eight first-team players and still come away with a confidence-boosting cup win away to Premier League opposition.