Forget the Caraboa Cup quarter final for now and look ahead to the weekend where we face Sunderland away at the Stadium of Light. Here's what Dean Holden and Simon Grayson had to say. Bristol City assistant head coach Dean Holden told BBC Radio Bristol: "It is a Premier League stadium. Sunderland are a team in transition. I'm sure, given time, Simon Grayson will probably get a promotion with Sunderland. "But at the moment they are very low on confidence and they're in the bottom three. They're a wounded animal as far as we're concerned. "Their forward line is very, very dangerous and will give any team is this division problems." Sunderland manager Simon Grayson told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I'm frustrated because we're doing everything we can to make this city and this football club proud again. "We need to make sure we don't get really despondent. I think there's a really positive attitude on the training ground and in some aspects of the performances. "That will go a long way to bringing a more positive atmosphere in the long run." Match facts This will be the first league meeting between the two sides since a second-tier game in February 1999 when the Black Cats won 1-0 away from home. Bristol City haven't won away at Sunderland since March 1992, winning 3-1 thanks to goals from Andrew Cole and Wayne Allison (x2). Aiden McGeady has scored four Championship goals this season, with all four coming from outside the box - more than any other player in the division has managed. Jamie Paterson has created more chances than any other player in the Championship this season (33), registering five assists. James Vaughan has scored three goals in three league games against Bristol City. Sunderland have fallen behind in 10 of their 13 league matches this season, drawing four and losing six of those games. The Black Cats haven't won from behind since November 2016 (2-1 away at Bournemouth), falling behind in 30 games since (D6 L24). Thoughts and predictions ?
On paper this is one we should win comfortably. If Pato and Baker play we will. If they don't we may not.
The Palace result will lift the spirits of everyone, the whole club until at least the Man Utd game in the week before Christmas. Football is difficult to predict but I'll be amazed if Sunderland manage to beat City.
I think Sunderland will find their groove at some point, but hopefully their struggles continue for now. They've recorded 3 draws on the bounce, so I'm predicting a 4th...
Coming back from 1-0 down and not playing well to go on to a comfortable Win I believe will have enabled us to find our 'mojo' again , together with Sunderland's lack of confidence at the moment all adds up to a city win , 3-1 For me. Grayson , I believe will turn them around, but not tomorrow. COYR
#BristolCity v Sunderland: Fielding, Wright, Flint, Baker, Bryan, O'Dowda, Brownhill, Pack, Paterson, Taylor, Reid. #SUNvBRC subs: Steele, Pisano, Magnusson, K.Smith, Leko, Woodrow, Djuric.
Twice Djuric has come as a sub and scored soon thereafter. Shame to see Baker get injured and with the addition of others on the treatment table we could be in for a tougher time, but this season for some reason we seem to be capable of getting crucial points at times where we have previously failed. Five minutes to go to the whistle and let's hope we don't slip as we did just before half-time. Full time whistle gives us a 2-1 win and the 3 points putting us in 4th place. Possibly ugly but we'll take it. Why was there no live video feed again today on BCFCTV?????
Well done again LJ and the team.. “the ending in tears” will have to wait a bit longer!! Must admit, I expected just a point from that game.. currently 4th in the championship, not bad for a manager that doesn’t know what he’s doing!!
This the worst Sunderland team and ownership in our history mate, why that stadium was built I do not know, I could cry to what I have seen, 15 point 19 point seasons and now this.
Diédhiou out for three months Hegelar out for four months O’Neill out for a while Baker now going to be out.
Not good, but at least we have good cover in every position - Djuric has regained fitness ar just the right time. Hopefully it doesn't get worse though... It's a squad game & an area where we may have the edge over some of our rivals. If other teams have their own injury crises, we may be better placed to take advantage.
