Sunderland travel to the KCOM Stadium to face Hull City in the SkyBet League One. Last time out Sunderland lost to Blackpool and Hull beat Fleetwood. Sunderland slumped to a third consecutive defeat for the first time this season while leaders Peterborough and Hull both won their home games. The Black Cats remain in third place, but are now 11 points adrift of the leaders. League leaders Hull City are in top form having won their last 4 games, and the 2-1 win on Saturday leaves City needing just two wins from their final four games to guarantee promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt. George Honeyman missed the last game but could be available to face his boyhood team. Lee Johnson: “We let them off the hook a couple of times, the one where Jordan kicked the linesman for example and went to take the corner and gave it straight back to them.” “Yeah and I think when you are not winning regular like we were, what eight days ago, it seems like those little things just don’t go for you, and obviously we gave the ball away in areas where we could have hooked it on and they’ve ended up getting a little deflection and scoring a goal.” “To be fair, after that it was all us again, maybe not quite enough goal mouth action. You’ve got to give them credit for the way that they defended, but certainly the impetus was with us.” “Today it was fine margins, like in the previous games we’ve got ourselves to blame, as in set plays we’ve switched off from concentration.” Grant McCann: “It was a tough game as Fleetwood are on a tremendous run themselves. If truth be told, we weren’t at our best in terms of our performance – especially in the first half.” “In the second half, though, I thought we upped our game a bit, but what this team have got is the ability to come back and drive, so I’m really pleased with the boys’ togetherness and attitude to win the game.” “As a team, we weren’t at our best, but it doesn’t matter – the three points is all that matters.” “It’s a big win for us at this stage of the season, but we need to prepare properly for the Sunderland game and make sure that we keep the run going.” “We’ve got good players at this football club, but the resilience for us to come back and win was excellent.” Match Appointments: Referee: CHARLES BREAKSPEAR Assistant Referees: Alistair Nelson and Oliver Bickle Fourth Official: Scott Oldham Team Line ups Sunderland: Burge; Hume, O’Nien, Wright, Power; Leadbitter, Winchester, Scowen; Jones, McGeady, Wyke. Subs: Matthews, McFadzean, Younger, O’Brien, Neil, Maguire, Stewart Injured: Xhemajli, Willis, Flanagan, McLaughlin, Sanderson, Vokins Hull City: (4-2-3-1) Ingram, Coyle, Jones, Greaves, Elder, Slater, Docherty, Wilks, Crowley, Lewis-Potter, Magennis. Subs: Long, Smallwood, Eaves, Scott, Emmanuel, McLoughlin, Whyte Injured: Honeyman, Burke Betting Odds: Sunderland 11/5 Hull 6/5 Draw 11/5 My two pence: Three defeats in a row – not good enough but it’s fine margins. McGeady almost scores a worldy for us, the ball gets booted up field and they get a deflected goal. Hull away is probably our hardest game that we have left so once we get this one out of the way I fully expect us to pick up enough points to make it into the play-offs. I’m going for a 2-2 draw. Live stream £10 https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video Ha’way the Lads
If our players could match the quality of these matchday threads we'd be up already. Hoping for a good performance to get the confidence back.
Great thread again. I actually didnt think we played badly against Blackpool, certainly better than against Wigan. Some elements of the performance are there to build on. I am looking for that building of performance levels again. Obviously results are important but right now I want to see confidence build and good performances and doing things well can help with that. Hoping Leadbitter keeps his place and I wouldnt mind Diamond getting a place, but perhaps playing Jones will help him regain some form, which could be massive for us.
We need to change the team now rest key players start Diamond, mcguire, a few under 23 players, but we need about 6 points first to make sure, we will play Oxford it is fate. Can you imagine we might have to beat Northampton to make the top 6 at the minute ! refs have done us in the last 2 games.
Yeah I know but he's not exactly been on fire the last half a dozen games and Stewart hasn't been given a chance from the start so give him his opportunity. If anything it'll give him more match minutes than coming on as a 65th minute sub. We paid decent money for him for a reason...
It will be “typical” that we win this one, and therefore I’m going for 1-2. Got a feeling we could humped though. Bart
Excellent thread again mate Also like the team. It's three in midfield from now on for me However don't think for minute LJ will stick to that. Think his biggest mistake is He's been pushing too much change too quickly On the basis of the Blackpool performance we've every chance of a win But Could really do with not losing
can't see nothing but a Hull win they scoring for fun at moment and we gone back to being totally ****e
bad time for us to play Hull, I can't see anything but a Hull win, however we live in hope. Haway the fightback...........
Great thread RTB , the team is another matter, the annoying part is that we are so close to going up again, yes the injuries have been severe blows but are not the whole story, some poor judgement has been evident for some time tho not all will agree, but I feel that big changes are on the way. OaU.