Sunderland host Birmingham in the Sky Bet Championship Last time out Sunderland beat Fulham and Birmingham lost to QPR. Sunderland will look to claim their second home win of 2017 when they host bottom side Birmingham City on Saturday. The Black Cats should have Oviedo, McManaman, NDong and Jones back in contention. Sunderland are without injured midfielder Lee Cattermole, who has been ruled out for a month with a thigh strain. Birmingham have won 2 out of the 12 games since Steve Cotterill took charge and have only scored 4 goals. Blues winger David Cotterill left the club this week after his contract was terminated early. Craig Gardner could make a start at the Stadium of Light after returning to the team last week. Chris Coleman: "It's good to get the three points and put that (the run) to bed but it's only three points, it's not 33 points. We're still in a bad moment, we're still where we are, it is nice that we have got that result at home, it's brilliant but we have still got huge challenges ahead "I just felt it was a good time. They are unknown at the minute and Fulham won't have known much about them. It was always in my thinking to make a change towards the end of the game, especially if we needed to grab a goal. The way it was poised I thought it was a good time for the young boys to come on and make an impact and they did that." “I think this weekend will be a bit early for Bryan Oviedo and we don’t think Paddy McNair will be available either, Didier NDong got 15 or 20 minutes at the weekend and has trained well today so that is quite positive.” “Lamine Kone is out for another four weeks at least. Jack Rodwell is still working hard in training but not fit so we have pretty much got what we have got going into a big match this weekend.” Steve Cotterill: "You can build them up throughout the week, but, if something goes wrong on a Saturday, the anxiety creeps in. That's where we are right now," said Cotterill. "We're not doing anything majorly wrong on the training ground. There is no problem. We just have got to work even harder.” "There is no other way out of the situation that was here before I came and is still here. We've put enough attacking players out on the pitch since I've been here to have won more games than we have, But, when confidence is low and they get nervous on the ball, that's what you get.” "In the first half, we looked nervous again. In the second half once we'd equalised, having made an attacking substitution, I thought then there'd only be one winner. The tempo was up, the crowd were up again and that lifts the players, puts them on the front foot and stops them thinking about making mistakes. But set plays are a real cheap goal and we've given away two. They've cost us." Form: Match facts: This is the first meeting between these sides since Sunderland won 3-0 at St Andrew's with three late goals in the League Cup in August 2014. Birmingham have won seven of their last 12 league encounters with the Black Cats. Blues, who have picked up just two away points this season, the worst record in the EFL, have failed to win any of their first 11 away league matches in a season for the first time since 1982-83. Birmingham have used more players (30) than any other team in the Championship this season. Steve Cotterill's side have scored just four goals in his 11 Championship games in charge, their only away goal in five outings under him coming in the 1-1 draw at Sheffield United. Sports Analytics Machine: Home win 51% Prutton predicts: 1-0 Referee: OLIVER LANGFORD Assistants: James Wilson and Steven Meredith Fourth Official: Graham Salisbury Team Line ups Sunderland: Substitutes: Steele, Galloway, McManaman, Gooch, McGeady, Maja, Asoro Injured Kone, Watmore, Williams, Jones, Rodwell, Cattermole, McNair Birmingham: Stockdale; Colin, Morrison, Dean, Grounds; Gardner, Davis, Kieftenbeld; Jota, Gallagher, Boga. Subs from: Trueman, Nsue, Bramall, Ndoye, Gleeson, Maghoma, Jutkiewicz Injured: Adams, Vassell, Jenkinson, Roberts Betting Odds: H 19/20 A 23/10 D 3/1 My two pence: We finally won a home game, kept another clean sheet and managed to get out of the bottom three. Steve Cotterill’s time on Wearside, as assistant manager to Howard Wilkinson was nothing short of a disaster. Hopefully we can carry on the recent good form with another home win. I’m going for a 2-0 win. Ha’way the Lads
Top thread as ever RTB. I’d stick with that line-up. N’Dongs energy should complement a resurgent Gibson’s passing and positioning. A good bench to be able to push on if needs be. Another 1:0 home win would be good progress. 2:0 would be even better.
We've surely got to win this!! Tho we are SAFC!! Still - predicting a Home Win!! Another 1-0 will do me!! Bart
Got to fancy a home win, ......but this is Sunderland were dealing with....nah were turning the season round 2-0 to the lads.
As is being said, we are Sunderland. Rarely do we take two consecutive steps forward. Often do we build some hope and promise , only to come crashing down- especially when the following game appears to be an easier prospect. However , Coleman I think could just be the one to change that
Been following for too long to expect a win after a victory last week, heart says we’ll have a comfortable day for the fans to enjoy, 3-0. Head says a 0-0, which I don’t think would be the end of the world, just disappointing, another clean sheet though
Think we'll sneak this 1-0. No 'we are Sunderland' cliches from me. We've looked solid and organised at the back, we have goals in us and we're building confidence. I expect at least a point.
I agree with the above two I think we'll get something. What's Coleman's record, is it two wins, two draws and a loss? That's pretty good.
Need to win this one. Mate has stopped going and on the back of the growing confidence I have bought him a ticket for the Barnsley game as a Christmas present, if we don't win he may not be very impressed with it.
3-0. I genuinely believe real change is happening with Coleman. For the first time in a long time we will have a crowd thinking we can win at home, the team will believe, and we are improving a 3-0.
Nothing less than a draw for me.. Predicting 2-0, maybe even 3 -0 We won't concede against Sheff Utd or Nott'm Forrest, and then on to another 2-0 win against Barnsley You heard it here first . KTF.. disclaimer for the above comments The temperature over here is above mid 30s at the moment
Cant see how and why we should change our starting 11 after gaining 4 points against 2 of the best teams in the league.
I've gone for a draw purely because that's what I went for last time. I'm too superstitious for my own good. Wonder if Cotterill still goes on like a total bell end on the touchline for the full 90 minutes...
--------------------Ruiter--------------- ---Browning--Oshea--Wilson--- Ndong--------------------------Oviedo ----Gooch-Gibson-Honeyman--- ----------Vaughan-Grabban--------
This is the first time in................I cant remember...............where we have a better record over the last 6 games than our opposition! Home win.
I'm getting nervous already, its in my DNA. However Coleman has made such a difference, I would still think we have turned a corner no matter what. But I have a feeling we will defy recent history, and win two home games in a row.
