Sunderland travel to Middlesbrough in the Emirates FA Cup third round Last time out Sunderland lost at home to Barnsley and Middlesbrough won at Preston. Sunderland will look to bounce back after a devastating defeat on New Year’s Day. Darron Gibson has been ruled out for eight to ten weeks due to a groin injury, Chris Coleman has confirmed. The Republic of Ireland midfielder has flourished under the Welshman, putting in a string of consistent performances to become a key member of the starting XI, but he now faces an extended spell in the treatment room – and potential surgery – with a third specialist set to take a look at the injury before the club plan his recovery. The Black Cats will be backed by an incredible 4,400 fans when they travel to the Riverside Stadium on Saturday 6th January. Chris Coleman: “It’s a big blow and a tough one,” said Coleman when asked about Gibson. “We’re going to get one more opinion – we’ve had two – but we think that it will be eight to ten weeks. “There’s a little bit of doubt about whether it’s completely off the bone, so if it is it’ll be surgery, but if not we could get him back a little quicker.” “Goochy will be out for another seven to ten days so our bench at the weekend will mainly be academy boys, as at the last count it was nine or ten players unavailable.” *Lamine Kone, Matthews, Lee Cattermole, Gibson, McNair, Didier Ndong, Jack Rodwell, Jonny Williams, McGeady, Duncan Watmore, Lynden Gooch, Lewis Grabban. “We could have a new face in on loan by the weekend” Tony Pulis: "I've got great memories of the FA Cup, and it was a massive occasion for all my family growing up," "On top of them, I took a team to a cup final when Stoke City played Man City in 2011. It was a wonderful, wonderful season - I think most Stokies would agree it was one of their best ever. "There will be a great atmsophere and I just ask our supporters to be the way they have been - they've been fantastic at the moment. "It's very difficult for me to make too many promises or any suggestions that we are going to do this, that or the other. I've been at the job such a short time and I don't really know the players yet. "But what I always expect is that whatever team you pick they do their damndest and work hard. "I hope it's a cracking cup tie, we have a great game - and that the Boro come out on top." Match facts: These two north-east rivals have been drawn together five times previously, with three of those ties going to a replay - Middlesbrough progressing twice and Sunderland the other three. In the league, the two clubs met as recently as November, with Middlesbrough winning 1-0 at home thanks to a sixth-minute strike from Marcus Tavernier. Middlesbrough will be playing an FA Cup game at the Riverside for the sixth consecutive fixture, winning three of the previous five. Sunderland are looking to win their first FA Cup game since February 2015, losing three of the last four and scoring just once. Sports Analytics Machine –meh Prutton predicts: meh Team Line ups Sunderland: Steele, Love, O’Shea, Browning, Wilson, Oviedo, Embleton, Honeyman, McManaman, Asoro, Vaughan Substitutes: Ruiter, Robson, Jones, Hume, Beadling, Maja Injured Kone, Watmore, Williams, Rodwell, Cattermole, McNair, NDong, Gooch. Gibson, Matthews Middlesbrough: Randolph; Christie, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Howson, Leadbitter, Guedioura; Downing, Traore; Assombalonga Subs from: tbc Injured: Fabio Betting Odds: H 3/4 A 18/5 D 13/5 My two pence: After the last few games I really don't have a clue which team will turn up, but I’m fearing the worst and think that it will be another dismal away day display and a 1-0 home win. Ha’way the Lads
Quite an incredible injury list we've got. Personally I'd blood a few of the youngsters and have a look at them in a proper competitive game, because if they do well we're going to need them for the league. If they do badly and we get knocked out, who gives a **** really. Dreaming of a cup run is just that, a dream.
I will be heading down on a mini bus from Ryhope.. heading into town there for a few pre match bevvies..
Perversely, I reckon that if we start with both Maja and Asoro and go on the offensive from the off we could be in the FA Cup 4th round. Vaughan could start later from the bench if required, and I hope that Ndong is not included and off to Watford or WHU.
I've no doubt that Boro will field a strong team and beat us. I'm just hoping that we blood a few youngsters to test them against a decent Championship level team and see if they can help the first team in the second part of the season. Coleman has said that Steele will start so I'd like to see something like; -----------------------Steele-------------------- ------Beadling---Browning--Wilson----- Love-------E.Robson-Embleton---Hume ---------------------Honeyman-------------------- --------------------Asoro--Maja------------------
Well i'm off to the derby on Saturday............not this match but free tickets via my sons school for Stockport County v Salford. Should be a belter and just to show my lad the standard we may be at in a couple of years time.
Get beat at Sheff u one win in 9, also Barnsley 10 without a win, Reading 5 without a win after they beat us, Boro decent run they are on, but up next Cardiff who have lost the last 4 league games !, then Hull who on a terrible run also. So these teams were/are there for the taking. The lad Woodburn would be very good on loan for us, so that is good news. I would get Rodwell in the team as well he is getting paid for nowt at the minute.
Spot on, if our youngsters, were not considered ready or good enough for the Premiership they must be given the chance now. "He who dares wins " is the way to go we've nothing to lose. Have a more experienced bench as a backup.
That's nice, the Boro Ultras have managed to combine this fixture with their year 9 school trip so they all got seats together. Bless.
A couple of years ago, one night, I was about to propose to my girlfriend when my roommate Joseph barged into the room out of nowhere, tripped and fell over, breaking a glass table with his face. Totally ruined the mood. Now, I didn't know Joseph THAT well, don't even remember where he was from, but let' just say I put my plans on hold to help him through his injuries. Joseph had gotten a big glass shard in his eye, making him completely blind in that eye. He was walking around with one of those cotton pads on his eye for a couple of months. Then suddenly, he disappeared, along with my girlfriend Apparently they'd bonded during the time after his injuries, and eloped together , left me behind without as much as a note. I tried to track them down, but never could. In conclusion, if it hadn't been for cotton eye Joe, I'd have been married a long time ago. Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from, cotton eye Joe?
Im mates with a Boro frontliner. I wont say the name of the pub but theres 120 Sunderland lads meeting up with them for a ruck at 9am.
No I meant Sunderland. I'm not going to say 'we' when it comes to hooliganism mate. Not my bag. Prefer to distance myself.
Nowt against you though fella, One of my best mates was a Darlo Casual in the 80s and 90s. It's each to their own. Does sadden me when the fights kick off in place which should be more isolated from the public though.
