Sunderland host MK Dons at the Stadium of Light in the SkyBet League One
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Last time out Sunderland lost to Fleetwood and MK Dons lost to Southampton U21s.
Sunderland will be without defenders Tom Flanagan & Connor McLaughlin who are away on international duty. McFadzean, Younger & Dunne were subbed off injured on Tuesday and are unlikely to feature at the weekend. Elliot Embleton played his first 90 minutes after returning from injury and should be in the squad.
Saturday will be the fifth meeting between Sunderland and MK Dons and the Black Cats have won all four of the previous encounters, even coming from two-nil down on one occasion to triumph 4-2.
MK Dons take a three-game unbeaten run into Saturday’s Sky Bet League One clash at the Stadium of Light. Russell Martin’s men have beaten Wigan Athletic and drawn with AFC Wimbledon and Northampton Town to climb out of the bottom four and pull to within a victory of mid-table.
Martin will be hoping that his 2020/21 Dons outfit can be the ones to end the hoodoo and get on the board against the Black Cats.
MK Dons will be without three defenders at the weekend, Daniel Harvie and Regan Poole being away on international duty with Scotland Under-21s and Wales Under-21s respectively while Williams has not featured in either of the last two matches as he continues to try and shake off an injury which has disrupted his start to the season.
Richard Keogh, Dean Lewington and Cameron Jerome are set to return to the line-up for the clash with Sunderland, and there may still be an opportunity for some of the younger Dons to be involved in the matchday squad.
Phil Parkinson:
"In terms of some of the play in the first half, some of the football, I thought Dan Neil and George Dobson were excellent in terms of their quality, it was probably Dan’s best 45 for us – he showed what he’s all about and I’m so pleased for him – and George as well."
"He’s had a difficult start to the season in terms of getting sent off, and his season hadn’t quite got going, but that was the best 45 minutes for George as well. I’m so pleased for him. I think people forget with George that last year, he was terrific for us. Sometimes, players lose a bit of form – it can be a bit of confidence or lacking a bit of match sharpness. I saw some good signs in George tonight."
“I thought he (McFadzean) was tremendous and gave us a real creative spark down the left. He got us that goal and then when he had to go into left sided centre-back, I thought that he was excellent there as well.”
Russell Martin:
“I should be talking about how positive it was from our academy guys,” the manager said in his post-match press conference, following the 2-1 defeat to Southampton B.”
“It was so pleasing to see all five of them on the pitch together and putting in the performances that they did. They should be really proud and happy with how they contributed.”
“They shouldn't feel comfortable with one appearance but should want more to come. These guys have done themselves no harm at all and it will lead to more opportunities if they keep up their application.”
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Match Appointments:
Referee: John Brooks
Assistant Referees: Matthew McGrath and Richard Wild
Fourth Official: Mark Dwyer
Team Line ups
Sunderland: Burge, Diamond, Taylor, Wright, Sanderson, Hume, Leadbitter, O’Nien, Gooch, Maguire, Wyke.
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Subs: Matthews, Beaumont, Scowen, Neil, Embleton, Graham, Curry
Injured: McGeady, Feeney, Xhemajli, Willis, Kimpioka, Younger, McFadzean, Dunne.
MK Dons: Fisher, Lewington, Keogh, Poole, Kasumu, Morris, Fraser, O’Hora, Harvie, Houghton, Jerome.
Subs: Nicholls, Gladwin, Sorensen, Thompson, Sorinola, Walker.
Injured: Williams
Betting Odds:
Home 22/21
Away 12/5
Draw 23/10
My two pence:
Well it’s now time to concentrate on the league and get the hell out of this division.
It was good seeing so many young players given a chance to shine, but I thought that we were unlucky to get all of the defensive injuries at roughly the same time.
I still hope that Parky gives a chance to Mitch Curry, but I doubt that he will in this game.
I’m going for a comfortable 2-0 home win.
Live stream £10
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video
Ha’way the Lads
