Sunderland welcome MK Dons in the Skybet League One. Last time out Sunderland drew with Wimbledon and MK Dons drew with Ipswich Town. Alex Neil’s first match in charge of the Black Cats ended in a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened AFC Wimbledon, and the former Norwich and Preston boss pulled no punches as he delivered an honest appraisal of the ‘unbalanced and disjointed’ squad that he has inherited. Danny Batth and Thorben Hoffmann could be in contention to return for the Lads, but Lynden Gooch is likely to remain sidelined for the weekend. Good progress is being made in Lee Burge’s recovery from heart inflammation, whilst Aiden McGeady, Luke O’Nien and Nathan Broadhead continue their comebacks over the course of the coming weeks. Liam Manning was named January’s League One Manager of the Month, with MK Dons currently sitting third, two points ahead of Sunderland. Forward Scott Twine has 13 goals and nine assists to his name so far, and only Rotherham’s Michael Smith has been involved in more goals in the division. MK Dons new signing, Connor Wickham, is expected to make his return to the Stadium of Light, the former Black Cat having made a few appearances from the bench, but is yet to start for the Dons. Alex Neil: “It's a platform in terms of it's a point - we haven't lost - but if we want to be in the mix come the end of the season, we have got a lot of work to do.” “I think that we had seven players under the age of 22 in that team today. There’s not a lot of experience there at all. “I think that we’ve got a gap between experience players who have come in, but who have not played any minutes so they’re literally starting from a standing start, and then we’ve got young lads who this is their first year, and who I think a lot of them look tired. “Ultimately, we haven’t got a great deal of selection options just now in terms of changing it though. "There are a couple of areas that we’re short in, aren’t there? We’re aware of that. At full-back, we don’t really have any cover for the young lad (Cirkin) at left-back, with (Niall) Huggins being out. Dennis is playing a lot of football for a young kid.” “It’s a difficult situation at the moment. That’s not an excuse, I’m just giving an honest opinion of what I’ve seen since I’ve come in, but I’m aware that we need to try to win, and I’ll be doing my utmost to do that.” Liam Manning: “I thought it was a terrific advert for League One football. It might not have had the goals, but when you look at the game, I thought that it had a bit of everything. Credit to the players for how they worked. Their intensity, especially because it was a really tough game as Ipswich are a really good side. “We showed a bit of everything today, and we had too. We blocked well when we had too, pushed well and went well at times. It was a really tough game, but it was the final bit of quality which probably let us down. We didn’t give them too many chances, either, so I think that it’s a really good point for us. “We probably just shaded it, but it was such a close game that it’s not one where you’re going away thinking that you should have won. It’s a well-earned point. The lads epitomised everything that we want in our culture.” Match Appointments: Referee: OLLIE YATES Assistant Referees: A Matthew Smith and Ravel Cheosiaua Fourth Official: Simon Clayton Team Line ups Sunderland: Patterson, Cirkin, Wright, Doyle, Hume, Neil, Matete, Winchester, Pritchard, Stewart, Clarke Subs: Carney, Xhemajli, Dajaku, Evans, Roberts, Gooch, Defoe Injured: Willis, Huggins, McGeady, O’Nien, Broadhead MK Dons: (4-3-3) Cumming, O'Hora, Darling, Lewington, Watson, McEachran, Coventry, Harvie, Twine, Parrott, Corbeanu Subs: Smith, Eisa, Kemp, Boateng, Wickham, Ravizzoli, Hayden Injured: tbc Betting Odds: Sunderland 21/20 MK Dons 23/10 Draw 12/5 My two pence: Another quiet week on Wearside At last we have a new manager, but we need to get back on track to save this season. The last few games we have struggled with the basics and are totally lacking in confidence. Hopefully a week training with the squad will be enough time to start to re kindle the early season form and return to winning football games. I’m going for a 2-1 home win Live Stream: (overseas fans) https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video Ha’way the Lads
Like your 2-1 prediction, will go with that too. Great thread as always thanks RTB. Let's hope tomorrow is the beginning of a beautiful end to the season!
RTB Of course I want us to win. But tbh we better turn things round if we are to make the play-offs. So let's see what the new guy can do... if anything! Saturday may be a first for me, as I might not turn out, when I could... Recent results and this lying siht about ownership not helping...
Tough game this one. Heart says 2-1 win but head says it will he a draw. Hopefully we see the impact of a full weeks training from the new gaffer. HTL Marvelous stuff as alway RTB, much appreciated.
Hope the new HC doesn't play Pritchard out wide. 4-3-3 doesn't suit this squad and our best performances have come when we've played 4-2-3-1 FWIW I'd go: Patterson Hume Wright Doyle Cirkin Matete Winchester Dajaku Pritchard Clarke Stewart Subs: Carney, Bathh, Neil, Gooch, Embleton, Defoe, Roberts
Wonder if he goes for Bathh and Wright for their experience, although I wouldn't be disappointed with that lineup. Hopefully the new pitch helps us
If we're going on form we'll get stuffed. Hopefully after a week's work we come out with everyone knowing what their role is. Just scrap out a 1-0 win and the confidence could return as quickly as it went.
After the past month, a draw. Neil needs longer to turn this lot round against a tough outfit who are flying. That said their coach just got manager of the month so he can eat that one on Saturday.
Season re-starts now. Hoping for an early(ish) goal to get the crowd going. 3 nil to the lads, @Smug in Boots safe journey up to Newton Stewart....you lucky bugger, hope it goes well for you mate.
It just terrifies me that Neil doesn't see any fit players in the squad. Young players knackered and experienced players unfit. If this is truly the case then it doesn't fill me with much hope and it explains our horrendous form for the several weeks
Great thread as always @RTB Going to be an interesting one, crowd possibly a bit edgy, players struggling for form and fitness, weather not great. But putting my positive head on, Neil has had a week with the players and they will come out firing with an early goal to lift everyone then keep the pressure on and batter them. So 3 - 0 to us Should have been going tomorrow, but family and house things need to be done this weekend unfortunately
Back the Parky days for me here. Travelling to games with zero enthusiasm and zero expectations Turgid performance and late. scrappy equaliser for us is the best I can muster Miserable ****
Thanks again RTB , as our last three games haven't quite gone to form, I'm pinning my hopes that this one wont be any different , and we will win 2-0. Glass half full man speaks . Mixed feelings about the subs last week but its early days, and AN's assessment of the problem was spot on, what he does about it will be interesting, its never dull. PS. Pritch better inside imo , with the more direct men out wide for now.
Snippets from his presser... Onien back on the grass, Broadhead back on the grass at Everton and Geads doing non contact training. Kyril is the only 'owner' he has met. "I work for Kyril, I haven't met any of the others" Defoe not match sharp due to lack of minutes. Coming from Glasgow and being used to the intensity of that football environment will stand him in good stead for the task ahead Looking forward to tomorrow but it will all come down to the result. Hasn't looked long term, as there is not long term if you don't take care of the short term.
