Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Wolverhampton Wanderers FC - Saturday 18th October 2025 - KO 15:00

Sunderland welcome Wolves to the Stadium of Light in the Premier League.
Last time out Sunderland lost at Man Utd and Wolves drew with Brighton.
The Black Cats lost 2-0 at Man Utd through two first half goals from Mount and Sesko. Mason Mount gave the hosts a perfect start after just eight minutes. Benjamin Sesko doubled the home side's lead with a close-range finish for his second goal in as many games while United's first clean sheet of the season was Amorim's reward for handing a debut to £18.1m goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
Noah Sadiki and Omar Alderete picked up injuries while on international duty and are unlikely to play. Reinildo Mandava will again sit this one out due to suspension.

Jan Paul van Hecke's late header denied Wolves a first Premier League win of the season. Wolves are currently bottom of the league on 2 points after 7 games. Bart Verbruggen's unfortunate first-half own goal looked like giving the hosts a first league victory since April.
Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira has been hit with an FA charge - after kicking a spare ball in frustration during his side's 1-1 draw with Brighton, Pereira has until Monday to respond. He will be on the touchline for this game though, as the hearing will be next Monday.
Antonio Gomes is expected to return to the side after illness.

Regis le Bris:
“I think it’s a good positive start, winning 11 points after this short period is positive, it shows the connection within the squad and the willingness to win something together.
“I think the main idea is that our identity can help us to win points when we work hard together.
“When we are hard to beat with this capacity to protect our goal we can win confidence and show our quality on the pitch”
“It doesn’t only mean protecting the goal. I think it’s important to be proactive to press high on the pitch to show that we can be bold.”
Press conference:

Vitor Pereira:
"We won in the cup, now two draws, in the Premier League is one point, three points, one point, three points, three points, three points - that's what we want," said Luis Miguel, with Wolves unbeaten in three games having beaten Everton in the Carabao Cup last month.
"It's not easy but we keep going like this and trying to get a clean sheet. We're working very hard in our defensive position to improve the players on that side, because if we are secure there, we will score goals for sure."
"I believe that we can play with both, but at this moment, Larsen is struggling with injury because he's not fully fit," Pereira said.
"The Larsen that you used to see, pressing, fighting, because he's with some pain and struggling with injury, but he's trying to help the team in this important moment, although he's not at his best level."

Form:


Match Appointments:
Referee: ROBERT JONES
Assistant Referee: Neil Davies
Assistant Referee: Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth Official: Anthony Backhouse
Video Assistant Referee: Paul Howard
Additional Video Assistant Referee: Adrian Holmes


Team Lineups:
Sunderland AFC: Roefe, Hume, Ballard, Mukiele, Masuaku, Xhaka, Geetruida, Le Fee, Talbi, Rigg, Isidor.

Subs: Patterson, O’Nien, Jones, Neil, Adingra, Mayenda, Brobbey, Traore, Mundle
Injured: Alese, Cirkin, Hjelde, Diarra, Sadiki, Alderete
Suspended: Reinildo


Wolverhampton Wanderers: Johnstone, H. Bueno, Krejci, S. Bueno, Tchatchoua, Gomes, Andre, Munetsi, Hwang Hee-Chan, Strand Larsen, Arias
Substitutes: Agbadou, Arokedare, Bellegarde, Hoever, Lopez, Jose Sa, Rodrigo Gomes, Mosquera, Molle Wolfe.
Injured: Doherty, Chiwoma.



Betting Odds:
Sunderland 7/5 Wolves 21/10 Draw 2/1

My two pence:
Wolves are bottom and are yet to win in the league this season, but they are unbeaten in their last 2 games and maybe should have won both of those.
As we all know there are no easy games in this league but I’m hoping that the rest of our international players return in good health and that we are ready to bounce back with a win.

I’m going for a 2-0 home win
Live Stream:
TBC


Ha’way the Lads

 

Bless you RTB, it's been months

This is another fantastic opportunity for Sunderland. We've already won 3-0 at home, won away to a team in Europe, come back from a goal down to win and drawn a game from a losing position with ten men ...

... of course this will be a tough game but just as tough for Wolves.

This is another full house, every reason for optimism and a walk over the new bridge.

After this dreadful international break I think the SOL crowd will be right up for it.

Will O'Nien play, RLB trusts him and he's fit.

Ha'way the Lads, 3-1 and another three points on the board!!!

 

Ahh the match thread, brilliant as always @RTB

Can't wait to see the lads, cant wait for the team to be announced.

Fans will be up for this and so will the players. Potentially 1 or 2 coming into the line up and will want to try and cement their place.

2-0 to the lads, Isidor and Ballard

 

still think we need to be wary of Wolves, wont be as easy as we think,

think 2-0 but wont be an easy 2-0

 

Some saying we’re missing Alderete for a while

 

Thanks @RTB It feels like ages since we last played.

We should win this. We're the stronger side and we're in better form than Wolves. The optimism is high with the stuff going on with the bridge etc. But it's Sunderland, so who knows!

 

Hope not he has been excellent. Still can't believe he didn't have a few clubs after him at that price!

 

P.S just to add, I'm saying that now after seeing him play! Had no idea about him or any of the others with the exception of Xhaka before we signed him!

 

With a full strength squad I'd definitely expect us to win this but with the injuries and suspensions I've got my doubts, our midfield is losing its physicality and/or speed and Masuaku's yet to convince me.

I just hope the win is not a bridge too far. (wah wah!)

 

If sadiki is out I’d play 532

 

Expecting a tough game. I’ll go for 1-1 which wouldn’t be disastrous

 

Hope wolves have 2 key players out after international week but I bet they don’t

 

Big weekend. Be brilliant if we can carry a sea of hope and positivity across the new bridge to inspire the lads to victory. I'm going 2-0.

 

They’ve had 17 players away like. Wouldn’t be a shock to see at least a couple with knocks

 

Thanks for the great thread as always @RTB.

Hopefully we get better news on the lads returning from international duty than seems likely. If not then Ballard in for Alderete and Geertruida in for Sadiki.

Looking forward to getting back to the SOL, it seems like an eternity since the Villa game.

Think it will be tighter than we’d hope but still think it will be a home win. 2-1.

 

Great to have our football back again and RTB in full swing, I too would change our shape with so many first choice players now out, gain I would like to see us field a 3, 5, 2 set up and have a front two from Isidor , mayenda or Bobby. and a 5 to includ O/9, HTL

 

I see we're going back to 'bending the knee' again this weekend.

I'm all for anything to do with tackling all kinds of injustice, I just don't like football matches being the platform.

Football clubs should always be involved in this but I don't think it's appropriate just before kick off.

I think it knocks the atmosphere and, in any case, football has always been the opportunity to get away from everyday issues ...

... it shouldn't be where we have to be confronted by them.

 

Great to see this thread RTB, been a long 2 weeks.
2-1 to the lads, some of the lads have been away on international duty but most of the lads have had a well deserved rest, lets get at them from the 1st whistle and get the place rocking again. Wilson to notch again ....

 

4-0