Match Day Thread Norwich City v Sunderland - Sunday 13th August KO 13:30

Sunderland face Norwich City on Sunday afternoon in the Sky Bet Championship.

Last time out Sunderland won 1-0 away to Bury and Norwich beat Swindon 3-2 at home.
Norwich forward Steven Naismith could make his first appearance of the season after completing a three-match ban for his red card at Leeds in April. Alex Pritchard (ankle) is expected to be out for three months, while defender Timm Klose (leg) is also struggling.
Sunderland are set to welcome back captain Lee Cattermole and full-back Billy Jones, who were rested for their EFL Cup tie at Bury. Bryan Oviedo, Josh Maja, Paddy McNair and Duncan Watmore are all ruled out.

Simon Grayson:
“I think they all sort of thought if I was true to my word then they will be given an opportunity and that has certainly been the case. When they get that opportunity they have to grasp it and stay in the team. George Honeyman has shown great quality. You have seen Asoro and Gooch come on last night. They will all get chances over the course of the season. If they get a chance they need to take it and I think George is a shining light for us.”
“Everyone would like these signings (the ones we have been linked too) to have happen. With Duncan Watmore coming back it will be like a new signing for us. He is held in high regard at this football club. Going forward it is an area we still need to strengthen and it is where it really matters.”
“In the summer they decided to go a different way. You saw that when they brought in their German coach. He was at Borussia Dortmund and I think they would like to create a similar situation to the one Huddersfield created last summer. From our perspective, we are a little unsure about how they are going to play, we have had them watched but it is a football club which has ex Premiership players and they will be doing their upmost to get back up there.”

Daniel Farke:
"Steven was very good in pre-season, so I was sad to do without him in the first games," Daniel Farke told the media on Friday afternoon.
"I'm really thankful he returns right now. We have four games in the next eleven days so we need every player.
"He's in good condition and is a leader on the pitch. Oliveira is also available, depending on how the next few training sessions go."
Farke is also satisfied with the continuing progress of Pinto and Hoolahan, who both featured in Tuesday night's 3-2 victory over Swindon Town.
"Everything is good even though it was early to bring them in from the start," he explained.
"Wes is a little bit further on than Ivo because Ivo was only in training eight or nine days. We need them both at 100 per cent as soon as possible and they needed minutes so we took the risk.
"It was really positive so no problems. They were a little bit tired and we have to be careful of their load but it was important to bring them onto the pitch."

Match facts
The Canaries have lost just once in their 11 home league games against the Black Cats (W7 D3). However, that loss came in their most recent meeting with Sunderland.
Indeed, the north-east club picked up all three points in April 2016, only their third league victory away to Norwich in 23 attempts.
Since the start of last season, no player has provided more open play assists than Norwich's Wes Hoolahan (10, level with Sone Aluko and Tommy Smith).
Sunderland have won only two of their last 22 league games (D5 L15), although both wins came on the road - 2-0 v Hull in May and 4-0 v Crystal Palace in February.
The Canaries have lost only once in their last 12 home Championship matches, winning eight and drawing three.
This will be Sunderland's first away game in the second tier since May 2007 where they beat Luton Town (5-0). Indeed, the Black Cats have won eight of their last 10 on the road in the Championship (D1 L1).

Form:

Prutton predicts: 1-0
SAM – Home win

Referee: Andrew Madley
Assistants: Neil Davies, Robert Merchant
Fourth official: Simon Hooper

Team Line ups
Sunderland

Subs from Ruiter, Love, O’Shea, Djilobodji, Gibson, Gooch, Asoro, Khazri
Doubtful Oviedo, Rodwell
Injured McNair (knee, Sep), Watmore (knee, Sep), Maja (knee, Aug)

Norwich City
Gunn, Martin, Zimmermann, Franke, Wildschut, Maddison, Hoolahan, Vrancic, Husband, Watkins, Jerome
Subs from Pinto, Oliveira, Jo Murphy, Godfrey, Tettey, McGovern, Naismith
Doubtful Close
Injured Pritchard

Betting Odds:
H 4/5 A 10/3 D 13/5

My two pence:
Another tough game, most of the pundits are going for a home win. I will be more than happy with a point from a 1-1 draw.

Ha'way the lads.

 

Great preview and like you I'd take a draw but I fear a hard fought loss. I feel we still need more cutting edge up top. Whether Watmore can offer this I'd personally want another striker

 

I fancy there to be some goals in this one for sure.

2-2

 

Think we'll come up short.

1-0 Norwich

 

Would love a win but expect a draw which imo would be a bloody good point.

 

Feel much better about the season than I did, bit still, it's should be one of the most difficult games of the season so I've gone Norwich.

 

Norwich are tough to beat at home. Think this one has come too soon for our new look side, so I've gone for a home win, but hope to be surprised.

 

Would feel better to see Maja involved, interested to see how Grayson plays this one. Hoping for a point, but if not, I'll take a narrow defeat.

 

norwich has a very poor defence atm ,yep they can score but are rubbish at the back due to first choice players missing DRAW

 

Away draw

 

Cracking thread again mate.

I'll be there tomorrow, anyone who's down just give me a shout if you're up for a pint.

Any of the big noises showing up?

 

I think we will pinch it, **** knows why cos it's a tough game.

2-1 the Lads.

 

I don't see why we can't win it, looking at Norwich's team I don't see much to be scared of. I think we'll at least match them and it could go either way but because it's more fun to bet on your own team to win I'll go for 2-1 to Sunderland and Honeyman to get an assist.

 

Hi
Hoping for a good game, we are **** defensively but got goals in the side.

 

The last time we played Norwich away...

 

Can anyone find the pic of the newcastle fan (in shirt) sitting at norwich, while sunderland are 3up.

Its a topper. He looks proper pissed off.

 

This one?

please log in to view this image

 

I cant see it mate. Is he with his son?

 

Yep

 

That'll be the one... Looks like he wants to cry?