Sunderland face Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley in the Skybet League One Play-off Final
Last time out Sunderland drew with Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe lost to MK Dons.
The Black Cats take on the Chairboys in the League One play-off final next weekend, and fit-again Nathan Broadhead is likely to be in contention.
Broadhead scored five goals in seven games in April to help Sunderland to book their place in the play-offs, earning him a nomination for League One Player of the Month.
Alex Neil's approach of sticking with his starting 11 right till the end worked, with Jack Clarke setting up Patrick Roberts to score the injury-time goal which restored parity on the night and put Sunderland 2-1 ahead on aggregate, and only then did Neil make changes, bringing on fresh legs in the shape of Broadhead, Callum Doyle, and Jay Matete, to close out the game. Lynden Gooch and Bailey Wright should be OK to start after picking up injuries against the Owls.
Wycombe held onto their 2-1 aggregate lead against MK Dons, despite losing the return fixture, and secured their place in the play-off final. Chairboys talisman striker and record goal scorer, Adebayo Akinfenwa is expected to make his 249th and final appearance for the club at the age of 40.
Alex Neil:
"The difficulty that I had was changing it (the game) because we were going to lose trickery and pace off the flanks and we didn't have any more of those type of players available on the bench for that one. I didn't want to change that because I felt that it was the key to us getting a goal, and it was."
"I thought that it was no more than we deserved, we switched off once in the game and we got punished for it. Other than that we defended extremely well, but we didn't set out to be defensive - if you look at our starting line-up, we were trying to be aggressive. Across the piece, I thought that we were the better team and I didn't think that we deserved to be trailing (on the night).
“I don't think our fans will think that (not again) one bit, the belief that they've got in this team, the run that we've been on, the fact that we keep scoring late goals and coming back.
“The determination that we have in this group, I think our fans believe in this team and believe that we'll go to Wembley and do everything that we can to win the game. I'll be confident and they'll be confident, but we know that we need to go and deliver.
“Wycombe are a difficult team. I watched them on Sunday night and they dig in, they grind and they do everything to get a result. We're going to have to do likewise, but first of all I want to have a couple of days rest, see my kids, and recover. Then it's back to work and get started. What we’ve done is given ourselves an opportunity now.”
Gareth Ainsworth:
(2019) “Sunderland are a huge club and I’m fully concentrated on Saturday’s game. I’m told that there are a lot of rumours and that’s flattering, because it shows that we’re doing well. It would take something spectacular to take me away from here.”
"April was a massive month for us, particularly with us coming back after a two-week international break and hoping to carry on momentum from a good run of results in March.
"The boys were brilliant in every department and it was a fantastic achievement for us to break into the top six, particularly with lots of teams around us picking up good results as well.
"I’m delighted to win the Sky Bet League 1 Manager of the Month award, which is testament to the hard work and focus of everyone at the training ground, including all the players and staff.”
Match Appointments:
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistant Referees: Adam Crysell and Craig Taylor
Fourth Official: Tim Robinson
VAR: Lee Mason
AVAR: Matthew Wilkes
Team Line ups
Sunderland: (4-2-3-1) Patterson; Cirkin, Batth, Wright, Gooch; O’Nien, Evans; Roberts, Pritchard; Clarke; Stewart.
Subs: Hoffmann, Doyle, Matete, Neil, Embleton, Broadhead, McGeady
Injured: Winchester, Willis, Huggins.
Wycombe Wanderers: (4-2-3-1) Stockdale; Jacobson, Stewart, Tafazolli, McCarthy; Gape, Scowen; McCleary, Horgan, Obita; Vokes.
Subs: Dickinson, Grimmer, Wing, Kaikai, Akinfenwa, Forino.
Injured: tbc
Betting Odds:
Sunderland 6/5 Wycombe 9/4 Draw 23/10
My two pence:
A great result at Hillsborough, not a classic but it all worked out in the end. Having spent 4 years in the steel city I always preferred going to watch the Blades even though the Owls were in the 1st Division. I think this was probably due to the ground and strip reminding me of home.
With any luck this will be my last ever League One match day thread
I'm really looking forward to meeting up with some of the lads and having a great day out at Wembley.
Remember that it’s not over til the end and for all those lucky enough to be in the ground, sing your hearts out for the lads - they will need it for this last big push.
Hopefully Broadhead is fit enough to start, but I think that he'll come on and score the winner, I’m going for a 2-0 win for the lads.
Live – On SKY Sports Football from 2pm
Ha’way the Lads
You must log in or register to see images
Last time out Sunderland drew with Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe lost to MK Dons.
The Black Cats take on the Chairboys in the League One play-off final next weekend, and fit-again Nathan Broadhead is likely to be in contention.
Broadhead scored five goals in seven games in April to help Sunderland to book their place in the play-offs, earning him a nomination for League One Player of the Month.
Alex Neil's approach of sticking with his starting 11 right till the end worked, with Jack Clarke setting up Patrick Roberts to score the injury-time goal which restored parity on the night and put Sunderland 2-1 ahead on aggregate, and only then did Neil make changes, bringing on fresh legs in the shape of Broadhead, Callum Doyle, and Jay Matete, to close out the game. Lynden Gooch and Bailey Wright should be OK to start after picking up injuries against the Owls.
Wycombe held onto their 2-1 aggregate lead against MK Dons, despite losing the return fixture, and secured their place in the play-off final. Chairboys talisman striker and record goal scorer, Adebayo Akinfenwa is expected to make his 249th and final appearance for the club at the age of 40.
Alex Neil:
"The difficulty that I had was changing it (the game) because we were going to lose trickery and pace off the flanks and we didn't have any more of those type of players available on the bench for that one. I didn't want to change that because I felt that it was the key to us getting a goal, and it was."
"I thought that it was no more than we deserved, we switched off once in the game and we got punished for it. Other than that we defended extremely well, but we didn't set out to be defensive - if you look at our starting line-up, we were trying to be aggressive. Across the piece, I thought that we were the better team and I didn't think that we deserved to be trailing (on the night).
“I don't think our fans will think that (not again) one bit, the belief that they've got in this team, the run that we've been on, the fact that we keep scoring late goals and coming back.
“The determination that we have in this group, I think our fans believe in this team and believe that we'll go to Wembley and do everything that we can to win the game. I'll be confident and they'll be confident, but we know that we need to go and deliver.
“Wycombe are a difficult team. I watched them on Sunday night and they dig in, they grind and they do everything to get a result. We're going to have to do likewise, but first of all I want to have a couple of days rest, see my kids, and recover. Then it's back to work and get started. What we’ve done is given ourselves an opportunity now.”
Gareth Ainsworth:
(2019) “Sunderland are a huge club and I’m fully concentrated on Saturday’s game. I’m told that there are a lot of rumours and that’s flattering, because it shows that we’re doing well. It would take something spectacular to take me away from here.”
"April was a massive month for us, particularly with us coming back after a two-week international break and hoping to carry on momentum from a good run of results in March.
"The boys were brilliant in every department and it was a fantastic achievement for us to break into the top six, particularly with lots of teams around us picking up good results as well.
"I’m delighted to win the Sky Bet League 1 Manager of the Month award, which is testament to the hard work and focus of everyone at the training ground, including all the players and staff.”
You must log in or register to see images
Match Appointments:
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistant Referees: Adam Crysell and Craig Taylor
Fourth Official: Tim Robinson
VAR: Lee Mason
AVAR: Matthew Wilkes
Team Line ups
Sunderland: (4-2-3-1) Patterson; Cirkin, Batth, Wright, Gooch; O’Nien, Evans; Roberts, Pritchard; Clarke; Stewart.
You must log in or register to see images
Subs: Hoffmann, Doyle, Matete, Neil, Embleton, Broadhead, McGeady
Injured: Winchester, Willis, Huggins.
Wycombe Wanderers: (4-2-3-1) Stockdale; Jacobson, Stewart, Tafazolli, McCarthy; Gape, Scowen; McCleary, Horgan, Obita; Vokes.
Subs: Dickinson, Grimmer, Wing, Kaikai, Akinfenwa, Forino.
Injured: tbc
Betting Odds:
Sunderland 6/5 Wycombe 9/4 Draw 23/10
My two pence:
A great result at Hillsborough, not a classic but it all worked out in the end. Having spent 4 years in the steel city I always preferred going to watch the Blades even though the Owls were in the 1st Division. I think this was probably due to the ground and strip reminding me of home.
With any luck this will be my last ever League One match day thread
I'm really looking forward to meeting up with some of the lads and having a great day out at Wembley.
Remember that it’s not over til the end and for all those lucky enough to be in the ground, sing your hearts out for the lads - they will need it for this last big push.
Hopefully Broadhead is fit enough to start, but I think that he'll come on and score the winner, I’m going for a 2-0 win for the lads.
Live – On SKY Sports Football from 2pm
Ha’way the Lads
Attachments
Last edited:
