Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Huddersfield Town FC - Tuesday 26th August 2025 - KO 19:45

Sunderland welcome Huddersfield Town to the Stadium of Light in the Carabao Cup
Last time out Sunderland lost at Burnley and Huddersfield beat Stevenage.
The Black Cats lost away to Burnley with 2 second half goals from Cullen and Anthony sealing a first win for the Clarets. While the home side enjoyed the territorial advantage for much of the first period, Sunderland had the better chances. Eliezer Mayenda's tame effort from six yard out pushed away by Burnley keeper Martin Dubravka after Dan Ballard's header back across goal - the defender's last action before he was forced off with an injury - before Chemsdine Talbi clipped a shot wide of the post.
Regis Le Bris could make a number of changes for this one, given the injury to Ballard and the upcoming Premier Leauge fixture against Brentford on Saturday.
Huddersfield beat Stevenage 1-0 thanks to Alfie May's second-half strike. The first half was virtually one-way traffic in the Terriers' favour, but they were unable to turn their dominance into an opening with May having several efforts either well-saved or blocked at the last second. But after being frustrated for over an hour, May finally gave Huddersfield the lead in the 66th minute after Joe Taylor cleverly let Sean Roughan's cutback run through to him, finding the net at the second time of asking after Harvey White blocked his first attempt on the line.
Lynden Gooch returns to the Stadium of Light with the Terriers.
Regis le Bris:
“I’m disappointed because we lost, I thought we started well, It’s fine margins, if you score early then the scenario changes completely, we missed Ballard going forward, we will wait until Monday to have a better diagnosis, it’s probably a groin injury.
We made a small mistake at the beginning of the second half and conceded the goal and the game changed completely.
Lee Grant:
“I really enjoyed the game, I’ve got to say, I probably enjoyed the second half a tad more. Definitely our most dominant game and a game we’ve had the most control in and that’s so pleasing against a team that have been is such good form with so much confidence.
We started the second half with more intensity and got the goal.


Team Lineups:
Sunderland AFC: Patterson, Hume, Mukiele, Aldrete, Reinildo, Neil, Sadiki, Le Fee, Adingra, Roberts, Guiu.

Subs: Moore, Seelt, Masuaku, Huggins, Rigg, Jones, Isidor.
Injured: O’Nien, Alese, Cirkin, Hjelde, Mundle, Ballard

Huddersfield Town: 4-2-3-1: Owen Goodman; Lynden Gooch, Jack Whatmough, Joe Low, Sean Roughan; Ryan Ledson, Herbie Kane; Marcus Harness, Ben Wiles, Ruben Roosken, Joe Taylor.

please log in to view this image

Subs: Lee Nicholls, Murray Wallace, Lasse Sorensen, Marcus McGuane, Leo Castledine, Dion Charles, Alfie May.
Injured: Healy, Chapman.

Match Officials:
Referee: Whitestone, Dean
Assistant Referee: Brown, Conor
Assistant Referee: Harrison, David
Fourth Official: Backhouse, Anthony

My two pence:
I’ve got no idea what Regis plans for this game, he could either change it completely and save his preferred starters for Saturday or he could mix it up with a new defensive set up, freshen it up in midfield and try something different up top.
I trust he will make the right decision for this game.

I’m going for a 2-0 home win

Live Stream:
TBC

Ha’way the Lads

 

Great chance for our fringe players to stake a claim.
Good to see our Goochy come back home as well.

 

Looking forward to it, love night games

I hope he changes most of the team tbh. A chance for the fringe players but it’s definitely a fixture we should be winning

 

I think all the first eleven will be rested, except for Aldarete, because RLB might want to try out the CB partnership with Mukiele.

My team would be; Patto; Huggins, Mukiele, Aldarete, Masuaku ; Neil, Le Fee, Rigg; Roberts, Guiu, Isidor
Subs: Moore, J. Jones, Seelt, H.Jones, Sidiki, Talbi, Ogunsuyi

This team will have too much for Huddersfield and I expect a 3-1 win. A lot of these players will be looking to impress RLB and see the cups as a good way to get a first-team start, so will want to make sure we progress.

 

I’d probably go

Patterson
Huggins - Mukiele - Seelt - Masuaku
Rigg - Neil - Le Fee
Roberts - Guiu - Isidor​

 

I think RLB will go 442 with Enzo or Rigg out wide.

Patterson
Huggins - Mukiele - Seelt - Masuaku
Roberts - Neil - Rigg - ELF
Guiu - Isidor

Should be enough to get through.

 

Really want to progress. I know the main goal this season is survival but it’s a great chance for the fringe players to get minutes. Win this and we’re in the last 32.

 

Hope Gooch gets a well deserved rpund of applause. MLF

 

No doubt about it. Anyone who gives their all here is well received when returning

 

Absolutely brilliant thread mate, you do a better job than Look North at presenting SAFC.

 

Yep I reckon he will go 442 and have Guiu and Isidor playing upfront

No doubt means le fee on the wing, shows how much we need at least 1 winger but I'm more comfortable with le fee playing there with a real attacking fullback like Masuaku behind him

A lot of that team hasn't played many minutes so I don't expect a dominate fluid performance

 

We’re just on the Sky sports plus app for this don’t kna how our foreign fans can watch the game unlike a PL one I find out more I’ll post it on here

 

Heavily rotated team and we win on pens. For no other reason than I’ll be jet lagged and have to drive to Edinburgh on Weds night too

 

Has anyone received their ticket? nothing for me yet

 

Guiu hat trick. Even with a total change of personnel we should have to much for them.
Cheers RTB for your superb write up.

 

I have booked mine this morning and got a confirmation email but no tickets within it but is says download them as soon as you get this email. Do I have to go back to the app to do that?

 

@Dave_39 is your man, he seems to know how it all works.

 

Would be tempted to play alderete and mukiele as the centre half pairing if both are needed for Saturday, Regis is big on connections so nothing better than a game scenario to build that

 

No idea, ordered mine last week and was expecting an email with a ticket to add to my wallet

 

It's a really exciting time to be watching Sunderland and these competitions could be better than we've witnessed before.

It was obvious RLB wanted to swerve the cups in his first season but I think the squad we now have, and far fewer games, will see a change.

We should be able to put out a team that can hold it's own and, with good draws, could really progress.

It was funny to see comments on the Burnley match where people were saying, 'they looked like a team of strangers' ...

... errr, yeah, that's hardly surprising.

We were the last club to be able to prepare for the PL and there's been a massive upheaval but games like this will really help imo.