Sunderland travel to Morecambe in the Skybet League One. Last time out Sunderland drew with Rotherham and Morecambe lost to MK Dons Sunderland were thankful for another late goal to grab a point against second placed Rotherham United. A win would have guaranteed a place in the play-offs but now the Black Cats have it all to do at Morecambe. A win will guarantee 4th or 5th place, whilst any other result will mean keeping an eye on rival results. However, if MK Dons beat Plymouth, Sunderland will qualify for the play-offs regardless of other results. Sunderland are still waiting for a full prognosis of Carl Winchester and Dennis Cirkin's injuries and while they are particularly hopeful of the latter being back in action before long, both are major doubts for this weekend. Alex Pritchard will be a strong contender to return given not only his on-ball quality but his aggressive pressing, too. Embleton's case for inclusion is clear, while Dan Neil will hope for a chance to impress after limited game time of late. Morecambe need points to be certain of avoiding the drop to League Two, with Fleetwood and Gillingham joining the relegation fight. The Shrimpers have beaten Charlton and Oxford recently, but also lost to Cambridge and suffered a 5-0 thrashing to the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light earlier this season. Also to be decided this weekend is the League One top scorer award, with two candidates going head to head at the Mazuma Stadium. Sunderland’s Ross Stewart is the joint highest scorer with 24, alongside Wigan Athletic’s Will Keane, while Morecambe’s Cole Stockton is one behind. Alex Neil: “I just felt that we needed to win the midfield battle against them. Elliot Embleton is a wonderful footballer but he understands that there are certain specific games that I think are suited to specific players. “People will argue that if we did this from the start or we did this and did that…. all of the homework that I’ve done, all the teams that have beaten Rotherham. I watched Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday, Oxford, all the best footballing teams and they’ve all lost, and then I watched Shrewsbury, and Fleetwood who beat them twice. “There is a blueprint for any team to beat any team, and I’ve spent all week watching the best part of five or six matches to try and give us the best chance of winning the game. If it means having to drop a player who played particularly well in the last game, that’s fine. “The lads do understand that it is a squad game, and that is what is required and needed at certain moments. Embo has been fantastic in the last three matches and came on and contributed to the game. It is what it is. "It wasn't going to be a game full of chances, it was never going to be like Saturday,” he added of the game. "These teams don't allow you to pop it about, you beat them by going up, back and through. We didn't link the ball well enough in the first half, but from the second half I think that we deserved a point. Derek Adams: “Since I arrived at the club, we have managed to get ourselves out of the relegation zone. Three teams can’t catch us now and it is a three-team race to stay up between ourselves, Fleetwood Town and Gillingham.” “We are in a much better position than we started with. There were still a lot of teams that were in the mix at the start of the game on Saturday and now there are a slim number of teams left. “We have a difficult game at home on Saturday against Sunderland, we know that. “We understand what we have to do and we understand what other teams have to do as well because you have to think that Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham and Bolton will want to finish as high as they can. “We would have all hoped that it would have been sorted by now, but we have taken it to the final day. I think that is a testament to the players who have worked so hard to put us in a much better position than we were in. Match Appointments: Referee: GAVIN WARD Assistant Referees: Matthew McGrath and Nicholas Barnard Fourth Official: Darren Handley Team Line ups Sunderland: (3-5-2) Patterson; Doyle, Batth, Wright; Roberts, O’Nien, Evans, Embleton, Gooch; Broadhead, Stewart. Subs: Hoffmann, Hume, Xhemajli, Matete, Neil, Pritchard, Clarke Injured: Dajaku, Willis, Huggins, McGeady. Morecambe: (4-3-3) Carson; Leigh, Bennett, Bedeau, Gibson; Fane, Diagouraga, Phillips; Connolly, Stockton, Gnahoua Subs: O'Connor, Wildig, Ayunga, McLoughlin, Cooney, McCalmont, Smith Injured: tbc Betting Odds: Sunderland 7/10 Morecambe 7/2 Draw 11/4 My two pence: A good result but a poor team performance against Rotherham with one of the best own goals I’ve seen for quite some time. So it all comes down to the final Saturday... if only we’d picked up a few more points. Hopefully we do what we have to do. I’m going for a 2-0 away win. For those lucky enough to be going: https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2022/april/supporter-information-morecambe-v-sunderland-afc/ Live Stream (Overseas fans) https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video Ha’way the Lads
Brilliant RTB. Been waiting for this. Alex and the lads will step forward again and see us into the play offs. Goes without saying every game is bigger than the last now. I reckon this is where our manager is now worth points, better than others in the mix IMHO.
Away win, Ha'way the Lads. Attack attack attack, kill kill kill. Alex Neil's Red and White Army. Safe travels to everyone
No problem with RTBs team. Embleton deserves the 10 role ahead of Pritch right now. Mind you not a bad player to bring in. Dont under estimate how much better players who have a long term investment in us right now. Nowt against Roberts ane Clarke, but Embo and Pritch might be the answer to start with Roberts from the bench.
Thanks for a brilliant season of threads @RTB. I like the team you have picked, tempted to replace Broadhead with Pritchard IF Broadhead has a reported niggle. Either way, we just have to win and keep things in our own hands, preferably winning comfortably with several early goals to calm the nerves
Thanks for all the the match threads you have put up this season @RTB. They have been absolutely brilliant. Thank you. Well it’s all down to the last game and I think we will win it. I’m lucky I will be there with my son and friends and looking forward to roaring the lads on to 3points. Here’s to the next 3 match day threads @RTB. Keep the faith lads and lasses.
I'm 20 miles from the Mazuma stadium and when the fixtures came out I was determined to get to this game. I've taken the grandson there a number of times this season and bless him he managed to get me a ticket due to their loyalty system. I was in their ticket office on Wednesday buying him a season ticket for next season for his 15th birthday which happens to be on Saturday. Really up for this, we know what we've got to do and I expect us to continue our good record against the Shrimpers. No mistakes lads, bring home the result we all want.HTL.
I'm expecting us to score early and win the game comfortably. Morecambe are caught between settling for the draw that would most likely keep them up and risking going for the win. I honestly believe we can take advantage and make our quality count.
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