Sunderland visit Lincoln in the Skybet League One Last time out Sunderland beat Crewe and Lincoln lost to Rotherham. The Black Cats dropped to 6th place after the mid-week fixtures, which saw the majority of their promotion rivals except for Sheffield Wednesday, pick up 3 points. Nathan Broadhead could return to the side, Alex Pritchard is still recovering from a twisted ankle, but defender Danny Batth is close to a return to the squad. Lee Burge remains sidelined and is not in contention. The Black Cats still have winger Aiden McGeady on the sidelines, the veteran winger having been out since November with a knee injury. Lincoln lost 2-1 at Rotherham and dropped to 18th place on 41 points. The Imps will be looking to do the double over the Black Cats having won at the Stadium of Light earlier in the year. Chris Maguire’s performance that night was the clear highlight of the Scot’s season which has featured just two other goals. The 33-year-old was left out of the side for Tuesday’s defeat. A booking at the New York Stadium would have been his 10th of the season and ruled him out of the next two games through suspension. Alex Neil: “He’s (Batth) been on the grass, he’s been doing running and he’s been in better nick, but he’s not far away now. “He’s not trained with us specifically, but he’s been doing his own work in terms of changing direction and all that stuff.” "Alex (Pritchard) is making good progress, so I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as we first feared. We were probably thinking at the time that it might be a six-to-eight week injury." “It's not a massive issue, we were disappointed that he (Broadhead) missed out, because him and Alex have been very good since I've been here and even before that. It was really pleasing to be able to get the win without them, as well. “I'm not sure how he'll be, we just need to wait and see” Michael Appleton: “The first two minutes set the tone for that first half. You have to defend balls into your box. We didn’t do that three times tonight and got punished, it is as simple as that. The little nuances of knowing when to nudge someone to head the ball, knowing when to get hold of someone. “Chris Porter doesn’t get those chances. There was a ball at the back post that Josh Lundstram was about to stick in the goal and Mahlon Romeo headed it out for a corner. Great defending. We haven’t quite got that know how or nous yet in our players. “Two of the headers weren’t particularly clean headers, but they end up in our goal because of that little bit of experience of knowing when to step across someone, when to be tight, when to be off them in the box. All that kind of stuff, that is the difference. “We deserved the goal, without a shadow of a doubt, but at that time the game is already done and dusted.” Match Appointments: Referee: CRAIG HICKS Assistant Referees: Danny Gratton and Abbas Khan Fourth Official: Conor Brown Team Line ups Sunderland: (4-2-3-1)Patterson; Cirkin, Wright, Xhemajli, Hume, Matete, O’Nien, Broadhead, Neil, Clarke, Stewart Subs: Hoffmann, Doyle, Winchester, Embleton, Gooch, Dajaku, Roberts, Injured: Burge, Willis, Huggins, McGeady, Pritchard, Batth Lincoln City: (3-5-2) Wright, Walsh, Poole, Eyoma, Norton-Cuffy, Fiorini, Sørensen, Maguire, Whittaker, Hopper, Marquis Subs: Jackson, Sanders, Cullen, Scully, Bishop, Bramall, House Injured: Montsma, Bridcutt, Hopper, Draper. Betting Odds: Sunderland 6/5 Lincoln 21/10 Draw 23/10 My two pence: Another awful first half performance, but we somehow dug it out again after making a few changes to the formation. At least we didn’t concede any goals – though they had 2 really good chances before we scored. Great to see Dan Neil back in the team and getting on the scoresheet. I think we’ll be up for this and can get back to playing football. Hopefully we'll start in the manner that we finished against Crewe and Chris Maguire has an off day. I’m going for a 2-1 away win. Live Stream: (Overseas fans) https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video Ha’way the Lads
I don’t think we will lose again this season personaly we’re playing absolutely awful and still winning I’ll take that till the end of the season tbf. Great thread mate
Our results against this lot is a real mixed bag so anything could happen Saturday. We owe them one from earlier in the season so going for a steady if uninspired away win, in fact any win will do at this business end of the season HTL Great thread again RTB.
I'll go for a 1-2 win for the lads. I think Broadhead will be back and I can't see him lining up with the back three he had on Saturday so hopefully it's more like the lineup mentioned above. Ha'way the Lads. Great stuff as always
I do love the match day threads, all the relevant information in one place, cheers @RTB Can honestly say I don't know how we will line up, I'd like to see the line up in the original post, but would possibly swap Hume for Winchester. Lots of options from the bench as well. Just hoping as always we start with the right tempo and look to dominate the game from the off
I'd prefer to see us in a back 4, although maybe Doyle over Xhemajli? I like the midfield 3 of O'Nien, Neil and Matete and would be great to see Boradhead back
Another must win. Oxford play Ipswich whilst Wycombe play Portsmouth so 3 points for us and our play-off chances would be looking a lot better.
That's all that we've got to do As has been mentioned, it's obviously very much in our own hands . . . . we just need to make sure that we don't let it slip
RTB As we all know every game is a must win. I would be tempted to stick with the same back 3 or 4 who have kept clean sheets lately. Hopefully Broadhead is fit? Evans keeps getting a start i am flummoxed why. Matete and 09 would be my pairing as DM Does Dan Neil start?
I've felt we play better as a three at the back,so in that line up I think he'll stick with Winchester for Arby and play Dajaku for Hume. He may also be tempted to try Roberts in and around Stewart....depends on Broadhead fitness I suppose. Clarke,Roberts,Dajaku and Neil will give Lincoln something to think about,and I think we can manage it now we have Jay and Luke playing centrally. We need a win....let's go for it from the off.
HAWAY let’s have a scrappy 0-2win, with plenty of ****housery after an early goal, then an 90th minute o.g. by Maguire!! Bart
Going for a much more sensible prediction this week. 0-4 to the cuddlies. Ross x 2, O9 & Broadhead (if playing) if not as Bart says a Maguire own goal will do. Nice 1 again RTB.
Thanks again another top thread RTB , the manager has a lot of choices to make, and this should keep us in the running.. OaU
Good lineup that @RTB. Hopefully another win and 3 points on the board and most importantly keep building momentum towards the end of the season and into the Play Offs.
Excellent thread mate. It makes interesting reading and I agree with your prediction. I'd only question the line up slightly tbh, I'd like to see more of Hume but not in this game because I think it would tempt Lincoln to target him. I don't want to see Broadhead dropping back to help and I'm not sure how Hume would support our attacks on that side. I'd go for Winchester, even Gooch, as I think they're more used to the team. Having said that it's clear we need wins and this is one in which we have a good chance of three points so the attack is more important. I'm puzzled by the lack of suitable crosses going onto Stewart's head. Most crosses seem to be on the ground and the lad, much as I like him isn't the best with his feet in tight situations. Our corners have also been ineffective and I'm hoping some attention has been made in training, surely the stats make it clear. Our central defenders need to be more physical in these situations and get some hefty blocks in, Wycombe base their entire game around it. That team, and bench, should be able to tear Lincoln to pieces, it's the belief that's needed ... ... I believe, Haway the Lads!!!
Great thread as always RTB for what is a revenge mission after the 'Maguire show' earlier in the season. Our defending that day was atrocious, but signs are that we are getting our **** together in that department since AN has arrived. Marquis and Maguire will be a handful and for that reason I hope Xhemajli gets the nod. Would go along with RTB's starting eleven, but AN seems to like Winny, so I think he'll start at RB. As others have said, Defoe should have a place on the bench. That midfield looks a good fit to me and I expect us to dig deep and win by the odd goal. With the Rotherham game postponed,the players will have time to rest after this fixture, so there's no excuse for not giving it everything. 3 points then rest up and prepare for an unbeaten April (and hopefully May!)
Enjoyed the match thread read thank you RTB ive gone for the win, i hope they can put in a performance to match the positive crowd reaction they will receive from our fans,A win is a must if we want to be in the playoffs so come on boys do your bit and make us proud.
https://www.sunderlandecho.com/spor...-plus-injured-stars-four-word-message-3614924 Deja vu, these done this against us last season in the playoffs aswell. They should be forced to play a young keeper! Emergency loans should be banned, its their own fault for not creating a big enough squad
