Sunderland welcome Middlesbrough to the Stadium of Light in the Championship. Last time out Sunderland beat Watford and Middlesbrough beat Cardiff. Sunderland beat the Hornets 2-0 with goals from Huggins and Ba to move within a point of third placed Preston. Tony Mowbray could make a few changes, with possible opportunities for Aouchiche, Rusyn and Seelt. Jewison Bennette could be ready to return to the squad but Pritchard, Dack and Ekwah will not be involved. Middlesbrough ended Cardiff’s winning run with a 2-0 victory at the Riverside. Having reached the play-offs last season, Boro had been in the bottom three after failing to win in their first seven league games of this campaign. But Michael Carrick's team have moved up to 17th after ending Cardiff's sequence of four straight second-tier victories. Tony Mowbray: "I'm really delighted for Niall, he's had a tough time in my year or so here with injury. "You see in training how he can travel with the ball and he's like elastic man almost in the way he can weave in and out of people and he did just that for the goal. "We did huff and puff again for 40 minutes or so against a really strong, powerful team. "But sitting here we've got the job done, I was really pleased with the discipline, I thought the centre-backs were amazing tonight. "It's great that the goals are coming from all over the pitch and we just have to keep going. It was a good performance because they are a threat to any team." Michael Carrick: "It was a good performance I think against a good team who were on a really good run and have had some good results. The games they have lost have been tight. "We knew had to be patient and it wasn't going to be straightforward. We could feel the frustration in the stadium in the first half but I thought the boys went past that and stuck to their guns, stuck to the way we want to play. "We finished the first half very well and second half we came out and found another gear again. "The boys are in good form. Confidence has been building and we have been playing some good football." Match Appointments: Referee: JARRED GILLETT Assistant Referees: Darren Cann and Akil Howson Fourth Official: Jeremy Simpson Team Lineups: Sunderland AFC: (4-2-3-1) Patterson, Huggins, Ballard, O’Nien, Hume, Neil, Jobe, Clarke, Ba, Roberts, Burstow. Subs: Bishop, Triantis, Seelt, Rigg, Taylor, Auchiche, Rusyn, Hemir, Bennette. Injured: Evans, Alese, Matete, Mayenda, Cirkin, Dack, Ekwah, Pritchard, Pembele. Middlesbrough (4-2-3-1) Dieng, Smith, Fry, McNair, Engel, Barlaser, Hackney, Jones, Greenwood, McGree, Coburn. Subs: Latte Lath, Rogers, Dijksteel, Silvera, Forss, Glover, Bangura, Crooks, Lenihan, Injured: O’Brien Betting Odds: Sunderland 13/10 Middlesbrough 19/10 Draw 5/2 Prutton Predicts: 3-2 My two pence: Middlesbrough had a terrible start to the season but they seem to be getting back on track now, with both teams in good form it should be a great game. Then again, Boro looked poor in defence against Watford and couldn't even beat Championship whipping boys Sheff Wed. I’m going for a 3-1 home win. Live Stream: This game is live on Sky Sports Football Also on safc live: https://safc.com/news/team-news/live-video Ha’way the Lads
These are a better side and in better form than Watford. Need to keep an eye on Jones down their right hand side and their big lad, Coburn, came through at our academy according to the commentary I heard a few games ago when I watched them. He is a bit of a big lump so Ballard and Onien will need to be at it. Still very confident we will have to much, fancy Adil to start as a 10 with Roberts back out wide for Ba. Hemir has a chance to come in for Burstow to freshen it up after a busy few games him. 3-1 to the lads.
Recent history would suggest we win at home as they do the same at the Riverside. If our lads have got the legs to go again then we should have enough to prevail but this ones going to be tight. No slow start and just be bang at it, local pride is at stake afterall. Great thread again RTB, I trust in TM to get his selection right and we go happily into another break which is a pain in the arse if I'm honest HTL.
Expecting a tough game. They’re in good form and will be bang up for it. ‘Boro were ****e up here last season, they’ll want to put that right. Ha’way the lads
Hate saying it but voted for a draw. I sincerely hope I'm as wrong as my normal sensible predictions.
Two wins at home in a row is a big ask, especially with only a few days in between. It’s looking like a sell out so here’s hoping it spurs the lads on to a cheeky 5-0 win
Great thread as always @RTB, Got a feeling we might see Adil in from the start but as always lately you could easily argue to keep the same team. Whilst we have to be cautious about Boro, they will be well aware of the threats we have all over the pitch and dare I say it be more worried about us than we are of them. 2-0 to the lads with a Burstow brace
I dont think Roberts worked as the number 10, or whatever that position is called. I also hope Mowbray has a Pritchard or an Ekwah up his sleeve to spring on them. Ipswich play Preston this weekend and a win for us and its all looking good.
Think it will a 1-1 personally. Extra day recovery will be important for Boro and some of our lost look a little jaded and need the 2 weeks recovery after this game.
For me me have seemed to be fairly free scoring in most games and if Boro want a draw I think they will have to score at least 2 so whilst I am not ruling out a draw IMO i will go for our trusted 3-1 as I think they will have a go and we are proving adept at finding spaces when teams have a go at us. I do still worry however that Boro look at this as a Derby but Sunderland don't which may catch us out with the intensity of the game so I hope we are prepared.
Looking forward to this one. Not my usual very early start for the early kick offs, but will be in the Railway Club at half ten for a couple of pre match drinks.
This will be a very tough game against a team in good form, scoring goals, keeping clean sheets and lower in the table than they should be ... ... but Boro aren't bad either so I'm expecting a good game and more exciting than Watford
We’ve won our last 2 with a 5-0 aggregate without passing second gear. We don’t need 5th or 6th to beat these as they are simply not a very good side this year. Slip into 4th given it’s a fake derby and 3-1 the lads. I wouldn’t change much to be honest, Adil has to be close to a start cos my days he can play the lad, we are gonna love him. Im fascinated personally by the rapid evolution of Jobe, I have never seen a player just grow so much so quickly, not ability wise but ‘I’m ready, I belong here’ wise. It is staggering the ability and talent some of these lads have at this level and I just think we will have too much for them, as they’ll come for a game not a camp. Can’t ****ing wait, I actually like an early kick off.
