Sunderland host Barnsley in the Sky Bet Championship Last time out Sunderland won at Nottingham Forest and Barnsley drew with Reading. Sunderland will look to claim a vital home win when they entertain Barnsley on New Year’s Day. The Black Cats could make a few changes with Oviedo, McNair and Jones back in contention and McGeady scoring on his return to the starting 11. Lynden Gooch will miss out with a hamstring injury. Barnsley could be without Andy Yiadom (ankle) but centre-half Angus MacDonald could feature after recovering from illness. Chris Coleman: “For sure, Lynden Gooch is going to be out because he hurt his hamstring, it’s a shame because somebody with his energy, we were looking for him to play a big part on Monday” “Paddy (McNair) has half a chance. He trained yesterday and he may have to play some part against Barnsley because we haven’t got any more bodies” “All we can do is take care of our business and keep chipping away” Match facts: Sunderland have won 8 of their last 9 home league matches against Barnsley. This is their first match against them at the SoL since October 2006. The Tykes haven’t completed a league double over the Black cats since the 1986-87 campaign when they were managed by Allan Clarke. These sides last met on New Year’s Day in 1992 with Sunderland winning 2-0 at Roker Park with goals from Gordon Armstrong and Don Goodman. Sports Analytics Machine –meh Prutton predicts: meh Team Line ups Sunderland: Ruiter, Love, O’Shea, Browning, Wilson, Matthews, Gibson, Honeyman, McManaman, Maja, McGeady Substitutes: Steele, Oviedo, Jones, McNair, Embleton, Vaughan, Asoro Injured Kone, Watmore, Williams, Jones, Rodwell, Cattermole, McNair, NDong, Gooch Barnsley: Davies, Fryers, Williams, Lyndsay, Pinnock, Yiadom, Gardner, Hammill, Barnes, Bradshaw, Thiam Subs from: Townsend, Mallan, Potts, Ugbo, Isgrove, Bird Injured: tbc Betting Odds: H 19/20 A 23/10 D 3/1 My two pence: We need to win games against the teams around us. After the last few games it really depends on which team turns up but I’m going for a 1-0 home win. I just hope we have more than one shot at goal. I will be there cheering them on – whatever the result. Ha’way the Lads
Here's to bright start and leaving this **** behind us. please log in to view this image 1-0 Honeyman to score. And might I say how impressed I've been with O'Shea recently.
Aye I think with having two alongside him to do the legwork his organisational qualities have shone and he's been playing well also. I think we'll win this one, new manager, new year and everyone in the stadium will be bang up for it.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow. Bought tickets for my family. Eldest daughter is up with her boyfriend (Chelsea fan) and he's so looking forward to the game.
I am pissed but Man c top never !, without them billions spent they would be as ****e as us but i will always love my team, i am going to the match as ever as Chris will be our saviour, thats why football is the best sport in the world. Another note is why do they drag a goal to the halfway line to play the crossbar challenge when there is already 2 goals already there ? happy new year.
Going for three point's, and three zip to the lad's,confident me like. Have a great day farnboromack.
C'mon lads, let's just start the New Year off with a win!! Am going for 2-0 tho it won't be pretty!! Bart
Gone for a home win - be great to get back to back victories especially against a team in the mix. Hopefully start of a run and we can pull away from the bottom of the league.
Have to believe we can back up the last result with a win today. I honestly believe today could be pivotal in how the club moves forward in the league this year in both mood and performances. Come on lads make 2018 count!!
We still have a horrendous injury list, this could be a game too far for those who have stood up and have been counted. So whatever the result I will hold onto my re-kindled belief that we will pull through this season, it is going to take some doing but I have faith in Coleman. We have only four wins at this stage but I am sure we will do far better from now on to the end of the season and that should be enough. Even if we should loose today and I pray we dont, the future looks brighter than it has done since going back to that awful fixture against Celtic, a game we should never have played , lets hope it was our last administrative blunder, and that those in charge provide Coleman with the means to plan our future with renewed confidence.
With so many injuries I'd imagine it'll be an unchanged team. Good to have Paddy McNair back on the bench. Oviedo and Asoro good options too. Hoping for a massive 3 points
Well after my negative post for our last game thankfully I was wrong. But Barnsley are more physical fighting outfit than Notts Forest and we get done over by these teams as we haven't got the physical presence to combat them and championship refs let the physical challenges and game flow. So I am not too hopeful today if we don't get into them from the off with clinical finishing. Season starts after cup game with some new additions for me
I’ll be there but I’ll be quiet. Started my gig last night with a slightly sore throat. 2:30 singIng and I can only whisper now!!! The wife’s Happy that I’m quiet though!!! Ha’way the lads
