Sunderland host Oxford United in League One Last time out Sunderland beat AFC Wimbledon and Oxford beat Newport in the League Cup. The Stadium of Light should be bouncing this weekend as Sunderland take on Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven’s other team Oxford United. The Black Cats will be looking to extend their fine start to life in League One with another 3 points against a struggling but rapidly improving Oxford United who earned their first points of the season last week with a 3-1 home win against Burton Albion and followed that up with a 3-0 away win at Newport. Glenn Loovens and Adam Matthews are doubts. Aiden McGeady, Duncan Watmore and Jerome Sinclair remain out. Charlie Wyke and Tom Flanagan have trained today but they've only really had one session. Oxford boss Karl Robinson made changes after the win over Burton on Saturday, Ricky Holmes, a scoring substitute at the weekend was rested after a back injury while Jamie Mackie also missed out after an injection in a hip injury. With Marcus Browne also out with a knee injury there was an opportunity for Shandon Baptiste to impress and the youngster scored his first senior goal, in his excitement he threw his shirt into the crowd and later then appealed to supporters to get it back! Jack Ross “We spoke before the season started about making it a really difficult place for teams to come to because we understood all the things we have in our favour, within the stadium, a fantastic stadium to play in and an incredibly passionate home fan base” “What we have managed to do in the two home games in the league is to produce the results and performances that have engaged them and enthused them and when you get those two things together it’s really powerful and because of that the players and staff are desperate to get back there on Saturday” “The travelling support has been outstanding with its commitment and vocal support” Karl Robinson: "tbc -blah blah” Match facts: tbc Sports Analytics Machine: Meh Prutton predicts: Meh Match Appointments: Referee: MARK HEYWOOD Assistants: Stephen Wade and David Avent Fourth Official: Richard West Team Line ups Sunderland: McLaughlin, Oviedo, Baldwin, Loovens, Matthews, Cattermole, Power, Honeyman, Gooch, Maja, Maguire. Substitutes: Ruiter, Ozturk, Love, James, O’Nien, McGeouch, Wyke. Injured: Watmore, Flanagan, McGeady, Sinclair Taxi: NDong, Djilobodji Oxford United: Mitchell, Norman, Ruffels, Nelson, Mousinho, Brannagan, Whyte, Hanson, Henry, Browne, Smith Substitutes: Shearer, Dickie, Garbutt, McMahon, Holmes, Mackie, Obika Injured: tbc Betting Odds: H 8/15 A 18/5 D 13/2 My two pence: Another excellent result on the road last week and the table is looking very nice indeed. Hopefully we will have a few more of the walking wounded back in contention especially the full backs and maybe Wyke up front. Oxford are improving gradually but I think we will dominate the game with our sleek one touch football, My guess is a 2-0 home win To all those going to the Colliery Tavern before the game - Cheers to Billy D Ha’way the Lads
I've gone 4-0 in the Prediction league and think as long as we don't under estimate the opposition we can achieve that scoreline.
A game we are all expecting to win comfortably - this is a time we often slip up, coz we are SAFC. Prediction - 5-0 Bart
I think it is the ex MK Dons manager This game - on paper - is our easiest game so far, so a definite banana skin
Oxford haven’t set the league on fire with their start but I don’t see us as a team that allows strugglers to kick start their season anymore. Fully expect to win this and keep up the good start - but you never know - it’s a funny old game. 3 - 0, need to start keeping clean sheets!
That's just what Ross said last week. It took Gillingham 3 minutes and Wimbledon just 9 minutes to blow that away. There's something wrong with the degree of concentration when we start so slowly at the back every week. It must really be bothering Ross. There are lots of goals in the team now but this early conceding is a real pain in the ass!
Bloody hell we're getting confident aren't we? I expect something to go wrong at some point. Having said that, I'm hoping for a 2-0 win. Clean sheet needed more than a huge scoreline imo.
A clean sheet would almost guarantee 3 points with our forward play, but would settle for 3 points whatever the score.
I haven't got a clue how good Oxford are but even if us fans get carried away I don't see the team doing the same, Ross has too firm a hand on the tiller for that. He might seem like a nice guy but I bet he wouldn't tolerate any bullshit or lack of focus. We should be able to put out a good side and Wyke might even feature, with us in the goal scoring form we're in I can't see past a home win. Albeit without having a scooby about Oxford.
I think we'll win though we haven't really met a team at home who has tried to lock us out. That's gonna start coming thick and fast and it's down to us to break down teams, that could prove difficult at first so as much as I think we'll win, I expect life to start being a bit tougher when we play at home. Especially until Wyke comes back as we don't really have an accomplished attacker in the air. I know Maja is 6'1" but he's better with the ball on the deck. Need somebody to flick on the deep crosses we're going to forced to play a lot of.
I'm expecting a repeat of the 7-0 scoreline off a few years ago at the very least. And I'll be bloody disappointed if we dont get it. PS, 1-0 will suffice at a push though.
