THESE two sides could be sick of the sight of each other by next Tuesday.

A stalemate at the Stadium of Light means they will meet for a third time in 18 days at Turf Moor on January 17, for the right to progress to the FA Cup fourth round.

So far it’s the Clarets who are holding the upper hand in what has turned into a trilogy that nobody really wanted.

If the Black Cats were out for a measure of revenge in the sequel, having been thrashed 4-1 at Turf Moor in the Premier League on New Year’s Eve, then like a lot of sequels, they were to be disappointed.

It was that Premier League showdown that brought the curtain down on 2016 that both sides really wanted, but having been humiliated a week ago Sunderland and David Moyes were determined to put on a better showing in front of their own fans, even if barely 17,000 turned out, despite tickets being just £10, another kick in the teeth for the FA Cup.

Instead they once again came off second best, despite making less changes than the Clarets.

This wasn’t a tie that will make highlight reels selling the romance of the FA Cup in years to come, but it was one that Burnley edged.

They created the better chances throughout and looked the only side likely to win the game for the final half hour.

That they didn’t finish the tie there and then in the north east will be a minor frustration to Sean Dyche, who accepts that Premier League survival is the number one priority this season.

But they should now be favourites to reach round four for the second season in a row, and the replay will present another opportunity to give some fringe players valuable game time.

The last time Nick Pope, James Tarkowski and Tendayi Darikwa started for the Clarets was back in August and the instantly forgettable EFL Cup defeat to Accrington Stanley.

There might have been another shortage of goals on Saturday but all pressed their cases to Dyche and showed they are more than able deputies.

It was also a positive afternoon for Joey Barton and Steven Defour, who formed an instant rapport in central midfield.

Barton came through the full game on his second debut for the club, and showed how much being back at Burnley meant when he saluted the travelling fans who were serenading him at the final whistle, while Defour completed his first 90 minutes for the club, and looked to be getting stronger as the match wore on.

But on the downside there were the injuries to Scott Arfield and Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who both limped off in the second half.

Burnley were always likely to seek wide reinforcements during January, but their hand may be forced to act sooner rather than later now.

It was a game of few chances, but the best ones all fell to Burnley, with Jack Rodwell, Seb Larsson and Adnan Januzaj restricted to long range efforts for the home side, while Jermain Defoe hardly had a sniff.

Andre Gray fired wide from Darikwa’s centre early on before Sam Vokes, played in by Scott Arfield, was denied by Vito Mannone.

It was in the final quarter that Burnley really turned up the heat.

Tarkowski planted a header from Defour’s corner against the post while Vokes headed another over.

Sunderland’s defenders were earning their money as well. Papy Djilibodji blocked a Jeff Hendrick shot before Jason Denayer put his body in the way of an Ashley Barnes drive.

There was one final chance to end the need for a replay as Barnes shrugged off Djilibodji to latch on to Darikwa’s ball, but as he bore down on Mannone he fired over the keeper and the crossbar.