Before Saturday's game I decided to go with my heart and back a red and white victory. I should have kept my mouth shut.

A defensive horror show meant my prediction went up in smoke as we crashed to a 3-1 defeat against Burnley.

To be honest, I did have slight concerns about the Clarets maybe pipping us 1-0, but I never saw the final result coming.

Burnley have a 100 per cent home record, having beaten Everton and Manchester United before adding our scalp to their list of home wins.

And yet, had it not been for a massive helping hand from our defence, it could have been a different story.

That's not sour grapes. Burnley took their goals well, and in the end were deserved winners, but the hosts were absolutely dreadful for much of the first half and offered very little in attack.

That was until Anton Ferdinand had what can only be described as a moment of madness.

The Sunderland defender decided to stick out a leg and bring down Martin Paterson.

Replays showed Paterson had already played the ball ahead of himself and was going to do well to keep it in, never mind produce a goal-scoring opportunity.

But that didn't matter, as Ferdinand gave referee Chris Foy no option but to point to the spot.

Even after Graham Alexander scored from the penalty spot, it was the Wearsiders who looked the side most likely, especially when Darren Bent levelled before the break.

Then came a second-half horror show. George McCartney went walkabout not once, but twice, to leave plenty of room out on the left.

David Nugent, who turned down a move to Wearside when Roy Keane was at the helm, popped up with two good finishes to seal the victory for the home side.

Before Saturday, Nugent has found it difficult to even buy a goal in the top flight, but he needn't have worried, as his chances were gift-wrapped by the Black Cats' rearguard.

Steve Bruce made it a priority to strengthen the spine of the team during the summer, and as part of that he has brought three central defenders to the club.

Only one of those defensive signings – Michael Turner – played on Saturday, and maybe things will change once Paolo Da Silva and John Mensah are up to speed.

Something certainly has to give, as the Black Cats continue to show the same naivety and make the same errors time after time.