Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Sheffield United FC – Wednesday 1st January 2025 - KO 20:00

Sunderland welcome in the new year with Sheffield United visiting the Stadium of Light in the Championship.
Last time out Sunderland lost at Stoke and Sheffield United drew with West Brom.
Sunderland made two changes to their starting eleven, with Aouchiche and Aleksic starting in place of the Injured Rigg and Roberts. The Black Cats started a lot better than they did at Blackburn but again failed to convert their early chances. Stoke started the second half with more energy and put the visitors under pressure for the first 15 minutes. Sunderland got back into the game but could not score the vital goal. Stoke took advantage of a defensive mistake in injury time as Tom Cannon quickly recovered from a challenge and unleashed a shot into the bottom corner.
Samed and Abdullahi are getting closer to fitness but are unlikely to feature.
Poveda joins Huggins, Seelt, Mundle, Browne, Ballard, Watson & Rigg on the injured list.
Sheffield United drew 1-1 at West Brom after taking the lead with a good move and a well taken shot from Andre Brooks. However, Karlan Grant equalised on the stroke of half time for the Baggies.
The Blades on loan defender Harry Souttar is out for the season with a snapped achilles.
Regis le Bris:
"I am Disappointed but it is a long league and a tough league with many, many games in a short period,"
"The most difficult part of the pitch is always the final third. We created many chances I think we had 22 shots and two on the post, three big saves from the goalkeeper. Sometimes football is like that.
"Sometimes you score with one chance and other times you can't score with six, seven, eight or nine big chances.
"But the spirit was good and we have to keep the way we want to play. Sometimes we deserve to win and we don't so no drama."
Press Conference:

Chris Wilder:
"Harry Souttar goes back to Leicester now, he's snapped his achilles and is out for the season so that's a big blow for us.
“We are so stretched it's unbelievable, and I'm so proud of my team. I thought we were light at the start of the season
"But I've learned so much about their attitude, especially late on. A few of them have not been well this week, but they left everything out there.
"We were actually really disappointed to go in 1-1 at half time. But we were pushing and pushing to get a winner. We were bold, We were brave.
"Andre Brooks was outstanding. He needed to do more Monday to Friday in training - but I was delighted for him to get that goal."
Form:

Match Appointments
Referee: MATTHEW DONOHUE
Assistant Referees: Paul Hodskinson & Richard Woodward
Fourth Official: Dale Baines

Team Lineups:
Sunderland AFC: (4-3-3) Patterson, Cirkin, O’Nien, Mepham, Hume, Neil, Aleksic, Jobe, Aouchiche, Roberts, Isidor,

Subs: Moore, Hjelde, Alese, Jones, Johnson, Connolly, Rusyn, Mayenda, Ogunsuyi.
Injured: Huggins, Seelt, Browne, Mundle, Ballard, Watson, Rigg, Poveda.

Sheffield United: (4-2-3-1) Cooper, Gilchrist, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson(c), Burrows; Davies, Peck; Brooks, O'Hare, Hamer; Moore.
Subs: Davies, Baptiste, Norrington-Davies, Marsh, One, Blacker, Colechin, Brewster, McCallum.
Injured: Sachdev, Souttar, Seriki, Arblaster, Campbell, Souza


Betting Odds:
Sunderland 13/10 Sheff Utd 21/10 Draw 11/5

Prutton Predicts: meh
My two pence:
A poor result at Stoke, we had enough chances to win the game but we seem to have lost our ability to keep a clean sheet.
We need to bounce back quickly but given our current injuries, winning this game might be too much to ask from the young squad. Hopefully we don’t concede any more late goals. United also have their own injuries to deal with but not quite as many as ours.
I was hoping to go to this one but the late kick-off just make the travel logistics too complicated. I’m going for a 2-1 home win.
A minute's applause will be held before kick-off on New Year's Day to pay tribute to all players, supporters, and staff members who have passed away in the past year.

Live Stream:
Live on Sky Sports Football
https://www.safc.com/live
(Available to overseas fans)
Ha’way the Lads

 

Cracker RTB.

I think your team will be correct. Hopefully we take a chance or two and drag this lot back to us. They have their share of injuries too, so fingers crossed the lads get a slice of luck in front of goal.

 

Tough game, think it’ll be a score draw

Fancy Dan Neil to get a goal. He’s really impressed me lately

 

Can I just say if our team was as good as RTBs posts we would be pissing the league

 

I fear another HUGE disappointment in front of the cameras leaving another capacity crowd on a massive downer as our poor form since November continues.

Our “soft as shyte” defence will have another off day letting in very pereventable goals.

0-3

Bart

 

HA'WAAAAAAY THE LADS
MACKEMS ATTACKEM
COOOOOMON

Gutted we lost to them Stokey tramps. We're just not getting the rub of the green lately and getting sucker punched for it.
Any other day we'd of hammered stoke.
Shìt happens.
I'm confident these lads will put that behind them and go all out for this one.
A 1-0 will do hopefully and be a cracking end to the year and start of a new one.

Onwards and upwards.

Happy new year you fookers and thanks to @RTB for all the great match day threads of 2024 and to all the 2025 ones.
Cheers

 

If we play like we did against Stoke and not take any chances we will get tanked.

However, if we play the way we can and actually take our chances we will beat them.

So Christ knows what will happen!

 

If ever a post summed up supporting Sunderland over my 60 years on the planet that is it!!

 

Have to be switched on in defence and take the chances we do get, I’ll go 1-1 adil and probably a goal from a set piece for them

 

That’s my prediction too. Reckon Sheff United would happily take a point up here

 

Right , bringing out the big guns for this one.
Sunny the lucky Sunderland black cat.
Ha'Waaaaaay.

 

Tough game but winnable

Both teams missing key players

Be interesting what our team will be, I reckon Mayenda will drop to the bench and Roberts will be back in

Hoping Aleksic continues to get some starts as I like what I've seen so far and can tell there's a proper player there

 

Not a bad point provided we then beat Pompey

 

That ones pretty much must win - they’re really poor

 

Agreed mate.
Aleksic looks a real player. Need to keep him in the side.
Fantastic MDT as always @RTB.

 

Another tough game but we're more than capable if we've got enough left in our legs, this festive period is utterly crackers.
Our home record is good, no mistakes in the back four and we'll get over the line.
Great thread RTB, HTL

 

1-1.

 

Roberts has to come in for Mayenda

 

We owe these one for the thoroughly undeserved loss down there.

It’s a funny game, a loss doesn’t derail us but a win fires us back out of a cannon after the top 2. Playoffs remains the realistic aim so given we have Portsmouth home next we are in good shape regardless.

6 points over next few days wouldn’t have make it easier to attract targets we may have for January so let’s go and get these ****ers.

3-1. Regis to knee slide in front of Wilders ****ing annoying face.

Paddy masterclass.

Ha’waaaaaaaay

 

I’d take that