Sunderland travel to Montgomery Waters Meadow to face Shrewsbury town in the third round of the FA Cup. Last time out Sunderland drew at Blackpool and Shrewsbury lost to Fleetwood. Sunderland came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Blackpool, Ross Stewart scoring his 4th goal in 4 games since returning from injury. Tony Mowbray could give an opportunity to a few of the youngsters in the squad. 15 year old Chris Rigg could make his debut and Lyndon Gooch will travel after returning to training this week. Jordan Willis has left the club and is training with Forest Green. Jay Matete has joined Plymouth on loan. Shrewsbury need to be taken seriously if we are to progress to the next round. Salop have lost their last 3 games but have beaten Bolton, Lincoln & Peterborough before that run. Ex-Black Cats, Tom Flanagan, Aiden O’Brien and Carl Winchester are unlikely to be involved as Winchester is on loan and Flanagan & O’Brien are doubtful due to injury. Tony Mowbray: “It is an opportunity for some younger players to be given an opportunity to get on the grass and play for this football club” “Hopefully we get the balance right and put a strong enough team out to be very competitive in the match. “Shrewsbury Town are going to be very competitive. Their coach has had teams who have always been feisty and you know you are in a game against them. “We look forward to that but I have to make sure we get the balance right.” "Danny [Batth], Dennis [Cirkin], Aji [Alese], Niall Huggins, Elliot Embleton, Alex Pritchard, Corry Evans, they all won't be coming. Of those, I think Batth is the closest, and hopefully Corry will be fine against Swansea, but the rest I don't think will make it [against Swansea]. "He's (Chris Rigg) coming with us. I watched him train today with the first team and do the game-prep, and I have to say he is really impressive," "The numbers are quite low, so I sent the staff off to watch the U21s this afternoon at Eppleton and if there's anyone who did particularly well today, they might find themselves on the bus travelling with us tomorrow." Steve Cotterill: "I think in the second half we have a lot to be proud of with it being the third game this week. I thought they ran their legs off. The only problem I have with the boys today is the opening 20 minutes when they (Fleetwood) were direct as anything, wasted time, killed the game. "The goals, the second goal is a bit of a joke. The first one, the referee looked like he couldn't wait to give the penalty. I think he could've given a foul on Elliott Bennett 20 seconds before the third goal, we clear it to less men, they switch the play and they get a shot and it might be an own goal but either way that's irrelevant really. "It's been a really tough Christmas period for us. I think they boys that have been going out there for nigh on four or five months, the same players, it looked like this week was a bit too much for them. "We're not so bad when we go Saturday to Saturday with so few bodies and even when you've got the bodies back you know, how long is it going to take Aiden O'Brien or Julien Dacosta to get fit? "We need to show that spirit and that character when we have 11 men because we didn't do that in the first 20 minutes." Match Appointments: Referee: Scott Oldham Assistant Referees: Geoffrey Liddle & Declan O’Shea Fourth Official: Simon Mather Team Lineups: Sunderland AFC: (3-4-3) Bass, Hume, Wright, Johnson, Gooch, Neil, BA, Michut, Bennette, Dajaku, Roberts Subs: Carney, Bainbridge, O’Nien, Rigg, Sohna, Clarke, Omad. Injured: Embleton, Pritchard, Evans, Huggins, Alese, Cirkin Shrewsbury (3-4-1-2) Marosi, Barlow, Dunkley, Bennett, Moore, Leahy, Shipley, Bayliss, Street, Saydee, Pyke Subs: Burgoyne, Bloxham, Craig, Bailey, Phillips, O'Brien Injured: Flanagan Suspended / Not available: Pennington, Winchester Betting Odds: Sunderland 1/1 Shrewsbury 13/5 Draw 23/10 Prutton Predicts: meh My two pence: After the injuries we’ve had in the last few weeks I’d be happy if Tony Mowbray rested as many first teamers as he can to give an opportunity to the players that have not featured recently and a few of the young lads. I’m going for a 2-0 away win Live Stream: *** The FA Cup is not included in SAFSEE *** Highlights on BBC Ha’way the Lads
Brilliant as always @RTB I'm with you, rest anyone important and we still should have enough. Be interesting to see that midfield though
I think Johnson might be injured but not 100%sure. Sounds like Rigg will get some time... 1-2 to the lads
I think it could be an exciting one. Matete getting around disrupting, BA's energy getting forward, Michut sitting pinging it about
Shame it's not streamed. You'd think, in the current digital age we could have a single camera stream for every cup game.... Hey ho. Hope we don't risk any of our key players. Be good to see Ba, Michut, Matete and Bennette get some mins. Wonder if we might see Rigg at some point
RTB Agree with your team, ie the suggestion that we rest key players and use the game to get others playing time after injury. It is sacrilege for the FA cup I know, but needs must.
Can't believe our away allocation is sold out ... ... this is our third consecutive away game against lumpy L1 style outfits. Our supporters are deranged
I was at Blackpool and have been derided tonight for not going to Shrewsbury ... ... I only started a new job today
I'll feel the pressure to "do something with the family" on Sat now. The wife has already made noises about Jesmond Dene on Sat afternoon
