Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Luton Town FC – Saturday 13th May 2023 - KO 17:30

Sunderland welcome Luton Town in the Championship Play-off semi-final first leg.
Last time out Sunderland beat Preston and Luton drew with Hull City.
Sunderland produced a fantastic performance at Deepdale to win 3-0 and secure a place in the play-offs. Goals from Amad, Pritchard and Clarke secured a vital 3 points for the Black Cats. Blackburn came back from 3-1 down at half-time to win 4-3 at Millwall on a dramatic final day in the Championship.
Tony Mowbray has two new injury concerns with Dennis Cirkin and Lynden Gooch both undergoing treatment this week. Niall Huggins could feature depending on match fitness. Dan Ballard will probably not be ready for this game.
Luton finished the season in 3rd place with 80 points and extended their unbeaten run to 14 games with a 0-0 draw at home to Hull City. Rob Edwards shuffled his pack and made eight changes as Town - who were guaranteed to finish third before Monday's finale - had one eye on the play-offs. The Hatters will travel to Sunderland in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on Saturday (17:30 BST), with the return leg at Kenilworth Road on Tuesday, 16 May (20:00 BST).
Luton have conceded 39 times this season, only Burnley conceded fewer this season, keeping 20 clean sheets in the process.
Rob Edwards has a fully fit squad except for Cauley Woodrow.
Tony Mowbray:
"We started a bit sloppy with too many turnovers of the ball, but we grew into it. It was like a basketball game in the first half and we needed to control it better, and yet it's difficult when you don't have a natural centre-half to organise people around them.
"We were a bit naive and let them have too many chances. But we became more confident on the back of the first goal.
“I'm delighted for the supporters; it's an incredible scenario to see the people of Sunderland enjoying their football so much and coming in their huge numbers. It will be awesome on Saturday [against Luton] at the Stadium of Light.
"I always believe that we have really talented attacking footballers and if we get the ball to them they will score - and they did.
"Blackburn helped us and we got the job done. If you finish sixth after 46 games, that's where you deserve to finish."
Rob Edwards:
"Today was about resting key players, making sure we didn't risk anyone unnecessarily and giving some players some game time, because over the next couple of games if they're needed, we want them up to speed.
"It was overall a successful day. There were some good moments from all the lads who have not been in as much recently. We created one or two chances but the game sort of fizzled out a bit towards the end. There were some good things out there today.
"Sunderland will be a difficult game, I think whoever it was is going to be difficult. A big stadium, a big football club - Tony Mowbray has done really well there.
"We played there relatively recently [18 March] which I think helps. They're good going forward, risk-free. They'll go for it and we'll have to make sure we defend really well and make the most of any chances we can and make sure we are well in the tie coming back here on Tuesday night."

Match Appointments:
Referee: TIM ROBINSON
Assistant Referees: Craig Taylor and George Byrne
Fourth Official: Andy Davies

Team Lineups:
Sunderland AFC: (4-2-3-1) Patterson, Gooch, O’Nien, Hume, Huggins, Neil, Ekwah, Clarke, Amad, Roberts, Gelhardt.

Subs: Bass, Anderson, Taylor, Pritchard, Michut, Lihadji, Ba.
Injured: Embleton, Stewart, Evans, Alese, Batth, Bennette, Rigg, Cirkin.

Luton Town (3-1-4-2) Horvath, Lockyer, Bradley, Bell, Drameh, Berry, Nakamba, Clark, Doughty, Morris, Adebayo
Subs:Shea, Potts, Mpanzu, Campbell, Onyedinma, Taylor, Freeman
Injured: Woodrow

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 8/5 Luton 9/5 Draw 11/5

Prutton Predicts: tbc

My two pence:
A great game at Preston, we actually did it, we are in the play-offs. The lads did their job in the second half with 3 goals and a dominant display and on top of that, the result that mattered went our way

Muchas gracias Ben Brereton-Diaz

Next up is Luton Town, we’ve had two 1-1 draws against them earlier this season
But this time I’m going for a 2-0 home win.

Live Stream:
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Live on Sky Sports Football & Main Event from 17:15

Ha’way the Lads

 

Tony's Presser:

 

is Huggins fit hopefully 2 more match threads for you to do RTB

 

He was in the training video prior to the Preston game - I'm just guessing based on that, he's probably closer to fitness than Ballard or Alese.
Hopefully Cirkin and Gooch are OK

 

hopefully he be fit enough

 

Anderson deserves a chance really - so maybe he will start, he looked fine against Preston when he came on.

 

Great work once again mate. Just think, you only have two more to do, then you can put your feet up for the summer

 

Great thread as always @RTB thanks again.
Hopefully two more for you to do before a well earned summer break.
It would be excellent if we had the two or three of the defensive injured back for the games versus Luton.
HTL

 

Who is Huggins? has he played for us before? Obviously being sarcastic, bur he can hardly be match fit??

 

Delighted we have a shot at going up after a great win on Monday. Will be tough over 2 legs against these lot with our injuries but after this season I'd never go against our lads, they have been immense. I'll go 2-1 in this one. Amad and Joffy.

 

He wasn't match fit the last time he started for us (Birmingham at home???) but he put in a hell of a performance.

 

RTB, it's brilliant you are still doing match threads, on our extended season.

Did I read that Alese is back in training?

Although I (probably not alone) thought we would struggle in scoring goals with Stewart injured, but we have overcome that, and others are banging in goals.

Our worry at the moment, is we have ended up with a lack of height in defence, so will the diddyplayers in the back four manage to defy gravity again, or will it be a Watford? Luton have some tall players!

Then of course, is our not so good home form, compared to away form. So a draw at home and a victory away?

A prediction... we will not lose!

 

I really fancy a 2-0 too!!

HAWAY!!

Bart

 

Too close to call.

 

Im still hoping Alese can make a suprise appearance on Sat like he did against Boro.

 

Considering our home form, I'm going for a draw and hopefully doing the business in the away leg on Tuesday.

 

1-1 seems to be the popular scoreline facing this lot.
Time for a change and a good home result 2-0 and we improve the aggregate at their place HTL.
Thanks RTB top lad

 

No Ballard on Sat according to TM

 

no surprise there