Sunderland welcome Bristol City to the Stadium of Light in the Championship. Last time out Sunderland beat Stoke and Bristol City lost at Portsmouth. Sunderland named an unchanged lineup to face the Potters. The Black Cats started slowly and went behind after 6 minutes after a ball over the top caught Alese in no-mans land and Koumas took advantage of a rebound off Patterson. Tommy Watson scored his first senior goal at the age of 18 to equalise a minute later. After failing to convert many chances in the second half, Tommy Watson won the game with a low shot that took a slight deflection to fool the keeper. Chris Mepham is available after suspension and Dennis Cirkin could return to the defence after coming on as a sub at the weekend. Huggins, Seelt, Samed, Poveda, Mundle, Browne & Abdullahi remain injured. Bristol City lost 3-0 away at Portsmouth, Colby Bishop gave Pompey the lead in the first half and goals from Josh Muphy and Callum Lang wrapped up the valuable points. Bristol City struggled to show their attacking best and follow up last week's 4-0 thrashing of Plymouth. City are currently in 12th place with 25 points. Regis le Bris: "We deserved to win. We had many chances to score, but it was difficult. "The conditions were there to remind us that nothing comes easily in life. "It was a long battle but this will have created a new confidence." "Players always need time to adapt. So far Tommy has developed very fast. We need that kind of profile. I like it. When you have a winger with the ability to run inside and outside and cross, it's a gift for a coach and a team. "Now he will face the difficulties every player has to face such as consistency and needing to defend as well. There are many things to develop but it was an interesting game for him. "He's very strong, he is a very good winger for this team and in this league. He works well and the system is well designed for him. We can use him very quickly and play to his main strengths. "He's powerful, he can dribble, he can move inside and outside and he scored. Today he was very strong." Presser at 1pm on Monday Liam Manning: "We were second best in most things which hasn't been like us. I'd be the first to defend the lads if I think we perform to a level, but we didn't hit that today in most areas. "Irrespective of results, the lads had hit a consistent run of games, so like I said, it was really frustrating and disappointing. "It's just a bit around decision-making, in really tough conditions against a team that want to press which makes it even harder." Form: Match Appointments Referee: DEAN WHITESTONE Assistant Referees: Marc Dwyer and Rob Smith Fourth Official: James Bell Team Lineups: Sunderland AFC: (4-3-3) Patterson, Cirkin, Mepham, O’Nien, Hume, Neil, Jobe, Rigg, Watson, Roberts, Isidor, Subs: Moore, Hjelde, Ballard, Mayenda, Alese, Aleksic, Aouchiche, Rusyn, Connolly. Injured: Huggins, Seelt, Samed, Abdullahi, Browne, Mundle. Bristol City (3-4-2-1) O’Leary, Dickie, McNally, Vyner, Pring, Knight, Bird, Earthy, Memheti, Twine, Wells. Subs: Armstrong, Atkinson, Bajic, Ball, Cornick, McGuane, Morrison, Mayulu, Roberts. Injured: Tanner, Williams, Benarous, McCrorie, Sykes, Naismith. Betting Odds: Sunderland 5/6 Bristol City 10/3 Draw 12/5 Prutton Predicts: meh My two pence: An excellent performance against Stoke, a lot more creative and looking back at the highlights, we could have scored at least 3 or more goals. Bristol City were awful at Portsmouth but they can play some decent football so I’m expecting another tough game, but we should have enough to win this one too. I’m going for a 3-1 home win as we start to click once more. Live Stream: Live on Sky Sports+ (from 6:45) https://www.safc.com/live (Overseas fans only) Ha’way the Lads
Manning complaining that Portsmouth made it difficult by playing well … … how dare they I was ill before I went on Saturday and sat on the train back soaked so not sure if I’ll make this one, I feel rotten but I’ll have a late fitness test. It’s a horrible journey, on a Tuesday night, for the few hundred Bristol fans … … so I hope they break down on the way home. Big injury problems for RLB, the players are recovering and all want to play. At this rate we’ll have to start selling players to stop them fighting over the shirts. I agree totally with your team and can only see a win, Ha’way the Lads!!!
hopefully another 3 points and hopefully better weather than Saturday be interesting to see if he brings Cirkin and Mepham back
Tough one to predict this. Our style and form has been decent but we seem to have struggled to find finishing touches which we found easier at the beginning of the season. I hope that confidence has returned as we are capable of beating anybody in this league. I predict a 2-0 in this one but in truth if we click and Bristol are as bad as they were against Pompey we could run away with it.
HA'WAY THE LADS MACKEMS ATTACKEM Always look forward to your match threads @RTB Agree, we could of been a 5-1 winning team against Stoke. A bad luck day could of seen a draw or loss We should of beat Sheffield or at least got a draw. Bristol aren't as bad as their last game. I'm hoping for another great performance from the lads Roberts is a hair breadth away from scoring. Isidor is having bad luck too, but waaaay Tommy Watson. Tommy Tommy Tommy Whaaahatson Players coming in here there and everywhere. When we kick off after new years nee fooka will touch us.
I expect a win, but i expected wins when we had that run of draws.Still, I'm going for 3 or more goals for the lads. Found the last game, extra thrilling, edge of my seat stuff, so i hope I'm well entertained again. I think we play better as a team when Mayender plays, he is like a battering ram makes good runs, and rarely loses the ball. In fact, if Wilson had left his header go it would have been a goal for him anyway. I feel Isador could do with a rest, so give him a half and if he doesn't click bring Mayender on, I also feel that Jobe isn't firing like he was again give him a half and if he still looks jaded try the Serb lad. Glad to see Mep back we always play better with him in the squad.
Going for another home win. Tommy's confidence should be sky high after Saturday and Roberts seemed to be more direct - liked how he went down the line to cross rather than cutting in all the time. I think Cirkin will be back in and it will be interesting to see who RLB picks at centre half as 3 into 2 won't go. The bench is starting to look a bit stronger too and I'm hoping it'll be game over by the 60 min mark so some can actually get on the pitch
I can see a couple of changes to be honest. Saturday will have zapped some fuel out of the tank and I would imagine that changes are a foot.
Looking forward to getting back to the SOL feels like forever I was there, same result as my last hopefully a nice 2-0 win
Bristol City can definitely be got at, press them high and don't let them out. Hopefully it's drier and warmer than Saturday! 3-0 Watson, Jobe and Cirkin
The Stoke fans were praising Roberts, on the train to Newcastle, so I looked at him closely when I watched the rerun yesterday. They were right, he was at it from the first minute and played well all game. He was cutting in to shoot but also firing low balls into the box. One thing I did notice was that seven or eight times he cut the ball back to players, in the box, who should’ve hit the ball first time but instead took a touch … … every time it allowed the defenders the time to position themselves and the shot was blocked. I’d noticed Alese do it, at the game, but hadn’t realised how many times it happened. I'm sure the coaches will have noticed, they and Roberts should be having a word.
It’s nights like this we often fail to deliver, when the expectation are high and there’s a chance to progress. But I’m convinced we’ll win comfortably. 3-1 HAWAY!!! Bart
Thanks again RTB for your brilliant MDT,s , I think it will be another hard fought game as they all are in this tight league . RLB has decisions to make over team selection in this one , so all being well injury wise, I am expecting no change to team or tactics. OaU
Think these have drawn on the last 2 visits here so don't want 3 in a row. If we've got our shooting boots on and the rub of the green, we should have had 5 against Stoke then it's a home win for me. Thanks RTB, HTL.
They’ve just been stuffed at Pompey. Something seriously wrong if we aren’t winning this one… …draw for me
Id like to see Onien finally rested for Mepham, and see Cirkin start over Alese. Also Roberts dropped to the bench. Other than that theres not much else to change.
