Match Day Thread Stoke City v Sunderland AFC – Saturday 20th August 2022 - KO 15:00

Last time out Sunderland lost at Sheffield United and Stoke drew with Middlesbrough.
The Black Cats travel to the Potteries to face Stoke City in the Championship,
Dan Neil will miss the game having been sent off against the Blades, whilst Danny Batth was substituted with a groin injury and could be doubtful to start. Corry Evans missed the game in Sheffield due to a concern with his hamstring and may not be risked.
Stoke have signed young forward Liam Delap on loan from Manchester City and Midfielder Tariqe Fosu on loan from Brentford this week.
The Potters have also brought in Aden Flint, Josh Laurent, Harry Clarke, Liam McCarron, Gavin Kilkenny, Dwight Gayle and Will Smallbone this summer.
Liam Delap could make his Stoke debut against Sunderland on Saturday. The 19 year old is the son of former Potters player and now first-team coach Rory Delap, and he has made six appearances for the Premier League champions in all competitions.
Stoke have won one, drawn one and lost two of their four Championship games so far this season.
Alex Neil:
“That’s only our first defeat in over 20 matches and you can see why.
“The players put their heart and determination into everything they do.
We’ll see where we are come the weekend, it is tough, of course. Dan Ballard is out, Dan Neil will be suspended, Danny Batth’s groin tightened up, and we didn’t want to risk Corry with a tight hamstring.
“We’re light on numbers, but as I say, we’ll see where we are with our squad when we travel to Stoke.”
Michael O'Neill :
"We had to dig deep. With the injuries we've got we're asking a lot of our younger players but they got their rewards. The fans cheered us when we scored and then booed us off, but I can't control that. The players gave us everything.
"Dwight Gayle slipped a nice pass in for Jacob Brown - and it was a very good finish. He's keen to get off the mark and it's frustrating for him having another goal chalked off, but we had to protect him by bringing him off. He's had to play a lot in a short space of time after not playing for such a long time.
"Their second goal goes in off Jags' trailing leg. I'm not sure if Watmore's got any contact, but it was a good response from us. Lewis Baker is a big character. He missed a penalty on Saturday and missed a good chance here too, but it was a great ball in and a good finish by D'Margio."

Match Appointments:
Referee: OLIVER LANGFORD
Assistant Referees: Akil Howson and Daniel Leach
Fourth Official: Sunny Gill

Team Lineups:
Stoke City (3-5-2): Bursik, Taylor, Jagielka, Wilmot, Fosu, Smallbone, Baker, Clukas, Thompson, Gayle, Brown.
Subs: Fox, Flint, Campbell, Bonham, Kilkenny, D’Margio-Wright-Phillips, Delap.
Injured: Souttar

Sunderland AFC: (3-5-2) Patterson, Cirkin, O'Nien, Batth, Embleton, Evans, Gooch, Pritchard, Clarke, Stewart, Simms.

Subs: Bass, Hume, Alese, Wright, Matete, Diamond, Roberts
Injured: Huggins, Dajaku, Ballard, Winchester
Suspended: Neil

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 5/2 Stoke 11/10 Draw 12/5

Prutton Predicts: 1-2

My two pence:
A good performance in Sheffield, just a shame that we went down to 10 men so early in the game.
Stoke have made some decent signings so far and could cause a few surprises this season, but their defence may need a bit more time to gel.
I’m going for a 3-2 away win.

Live Stream: (overseas fans)
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

Cheers, RTB.

Another tough game coming up. Hopefully Batth plays, it will be hard graft without him and Ballard after good starts to the season.

I'd be very happy with another draw but I wouldn't rule out beating these. We need to be very careful about giving away free kicks around the box as Lewis Baker can be deadly from anywhere up to 30 yards out.

 

Great stuff as always, fancy us to get back on track with a solid win. Haway the Lads.

 

Tough game. Would take a point and think we’ll get it. Always fancy us to score but we’re conceding too many at the minute and don’t have enough quality to come off the bench…

 

Match day threads coming thick and fast, brilliant again. @RTB.

Going to be another tough game but just got a feeling we will sneak this one

 

Fells like we are halfway through the season!

 

Tough one this, Stokes form is a bit up and down this season so hope we catch them on a down.
As has been said we need to stop shipping goals so a shut out would be very nice as I can see us scoring at least one, great thread RTB, HTL.

 

RTB

If Evans doesn't play, then I suppose Matete starts?

The lack of quality transfers in, is showing its effects.

The attack should still provide goals, its the inability to keep a clean sheet that is hurting us.

Stoke on the other hand have been active in bringing players in. On Saturday we will find out if they are any good.

 

If we can keep 11 on the pitch, I'm going for an away win 1-2.

 

I have a good feeling about this game, therefore I have gone for an away win, 1-2 is my prediction, will be a hard game especially if Evans is not risked, I would have Matete in instead of Embleton, we need some bite in midfield.

 

Another thanks RTB for these class threads, this game will be another test for our emerging team, I would settle for a draw now , but play like we did at Sheffield and a welcome win could be on the cards. not easy by any means , but doable. OaU

 

Probably - he might start ahead of Embleton if Evans is fit.

 

Great thread as always @RTB. My gut feel is that we either respond really positively to our first loss or we have a wobble and get humped. I think we will go positive.

Hawaaaaaay and FTM

 

Another cracking thread RTB ...
I am going for a 1-3 win to the lads, hopefully see Evans back, an early goal and we will settle quickly. Be great to pick up 3 points with 2 home games to follow.

 

1-1 draw

From memory most away games against Stoke have been drab affairs

Mind, from memory, I can remember a 0-0 drw in FA Cup 76ish. Loads of Mackems there that day

And also Mick Docherty scoring the only goal in a midweek match


Cant remember much else without looking it up

 

Defoe injury time penalty to draw 1-1 in one of our great escapes.

 

HA'WAY THE LADS MACKEMS ATTACKEM

The lad txt me to see if I wanted to go. Very tempted but am away at caravan and mrs has had a bad turn of vertigo so unfortunately have to pass.

Will I ever get to a game FFS?

Decent start to the season, shame about the red card. Fingers crossed for at least a draw .
A win will be cracking,
Cooooomon....

 

Great a usual @RTB going for a nervy 0-1 away win with Stewart bagging the all important goal.

 

1-2 LND & Simms the scorers

Bart

 

Alex Neil:
Starts at 11:45 in the video.