Match Day Thread Sunderland v Lincoln City – Tuesday 11th January 2022 - KO 19:45

Sunderland host Lincoln in the Skybet League One.

Last time out Sunderland drew at Wycombe and Lincoln beat Oxford.
Sunderland were forced into 3 changes to their starting eleven due to positive Covid tests for Hoffman & Dajaku and an injury to Wright. The Black Cats recalled 3 loan players, Patterson, Diamond and Hawkes to bolster the squad depleted by Covid-19 cases and isolation rules. Sunderland youngsters Will Harris and Stephen Wearne have been sent out on loan to Barrow AFC and Torquay United respectively.
New signing Trai Hume could be added to the squad on Tuesday, but captain Cory Evans will not be available due to concussion protocols after being stretchered off at the weekend.
With just one senior goalkeeper available, the game will be subject to the virus not spreading further in the coming days.
Lincoln beat Oxford 2-0 at the weekend but have been in a poor run of form, having lost 5 out of 6 games prior to that. The imps are in 19th position with 25 points from 23 games. Anthony Scully has been the Imps stand out player this season, scoring 8 goals and providing 3 assists in the League. Morgan Whittaker, on loan from Swansea, scored on his debut with former Black Cat, Chris Maguire, providing the assist.
Lee Johnson:
"Corry is OK. He was knocked out, so we'll have to see where we stand with that and the concussion protocols, but there was no fracture to his neck or anything like that, which is good to hear.
"I haven't actually seen him, but that's the report I have had back from the physios.
"It was a brave challenge, but it was one that he had to make."
"I'm really chuffed with the performance, though I'm obviously disappointed to have conceded in the last 90 seconds, and to have conceded three goals, but if we continue to play like that - and we have played like that - it is wonderful to watch.
"Their goalkeeper made some great saves, Jacobson cleared one off the line, how he did that I'll never know, and we felt that we should have had a penalty as well for a foul on Lynden Gooch. Elliot Embleton hit the bar, too.
"It was two teams with contrasting styles, and that made it a really interesting game. You were always on the edge of your seat because both teams could score by implementing their strengths on the opposition.
"We had to come and deal with it, we have dealt with it for the majority of the game - apart from two set plays - but unfortunately the sucker-punch is that we conceded so late."
"Our travelling fans were superb and stuck with us to the end, and they will be as disappointed as we are because they will feel that we deserved to go away with three points, but Gareth Ainsworth's sides are always going to have that battling spirit and when Adebayo (Akinfenwa) comes on, he pegs you back and it's impossible to stop it."
Michael Appleton:
Asked if any further additions were imminent, Appleton said: “I’d love to say imminently.
“It’s difficult when you’re not in control. Clearly, the type of players that we’re looking at, there’s a lot of interest because there’s no point bringing a player in if he’s not going to affect the 11.
“We’re reasonably confident. We’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes to try and bring in the players that we’re looking at.
“We need at least another three. If we don’t get another three, we’re leaving ourselves really short.”
“It’s definitely up there,” said Appleton of the performance. “Especially in the first half, I thought that we were great in the first half. We were a little bit disappointed that we didn’t come in (at half-time) two or three up.
“The way that the lads have trained over the last two weeks has been really good, they’ve been at it,” added Appleton.
“There’s been a focus to what we do and how we do it. Morgan coming into the building has given everyone a lift. Seeing Scully come back from injury has given people a lift.
“It’s amazing what a couple of fresh faces in and around the training ground can do. I’m hoping that over the next few weeks, we’ll have three or four more.”

Match Appointments:
Referee: JEREMY SIMPSON
Assistant Referees: James Wilson and Geoffrey Liddle
Fourth Official: Simon Mather

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Patterson, Cirkin, Doyle, Flanagan, Wright, Neil, Winchester, Pritchard, Gooch, Stewart, Embleton.

Subs: Carney, D.Hume, Younger, Xhemajli, Taylor, Diamond, Hawkes
Injured: Willis, Huggins, McGeady, O’Nien, Broadhead, Wright, Evans
Covid: Burge, Hoffmann, Dunne, Alves, Kimpioka, Dajaku, O’Brien

Lincoln City Griffiths, Eyoma, Sørensen, Poole, Bramall, Fiorini, McGrandles, Bishop, Whittaker, Maguire, Scully.
Subs: Sanders, Adelakun, Robson, Long.
Injured: Montsma, Bridcutt, Walsh, Jackson, Hopper, Draper.

Betting Odds:
Sunderland 4/5 Lincoln 18/5 Draw 12/5

My two pence:
An excellent advert for League one football at the weekend, just a shame that we didn’t hold onto the 3 points at Wycombe. Hopefully Wright is fit enough to return, or maybe Hume will be given a home debut.
Lincoln are starting to pick up again after a series of injuries to key players, but their defender, Montsma, went off injured against Oxford, so depending on our own injury situation I think that we will win this one.
I’m going for a 2-0 home win

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

Ha’way the Lads

 

Hope Maguire doesn't come back to haunt us. Be interesting to see if Wright is fit or not

 

Great thread again RTB, thanks for all the time you put into this mate, top work! I fancy a 3-1 win for what it's worth

 

Great thread again RTB. Difficult game again for us with the current injuries and covid.Lincoln seem to be improving a little and it’s a game we must win to put some pressure on Wigan. I said before I would be happy with 4 points from the 2 games (Saturday) but after the late equaliser the pressure is now on to make sure that we get the win and the points. It won’t be as easy as some may think but I’m going for a home win with the nails being chewed again. Team wise a lot depends on Wright being fit but if not Gooch to full back and Diamond in his place. Keep the faith lads and lasses. A new signing tomorrow would help a little.

 

Always lifts my excitement when I see this thread.

 

Hopefully it goes ahead - the Echo think it could be postponed

 

There was a chance of us driving up for this but we daren't risk it

 

Great thread as usual @RTB
Can't see anything other than a comfortable home win.
I'm going 4 - 1 to the lads.

 

HA'WAY THE LADS MACKEMS ATTACKEM


I'm usually just hopeful over results, but I think we're going to smash these fookers big time

Coooomon lads, big push towards the end of the season and up we go

 

Another good in-depth analysis by RTB confident of the win as the team have picked up, the stats tells us in the league against them lost 2 drawn one, but that was when we had mediocre to poor form, if we show more bottle and give as good as we get, i recon its in the bag, just hope Rotherham slip up

 

Ha'way man, you're slipping. There must be some nice lasses from Lincoln.

 

put an add in their local paper , Savaloy looking for a dip no mingers reply

 

Seem to remember Lincoln being a decent team, Scully is the name that stands out for me.

I think we've entered a period where our form is solid and we're going to keep getting better so I'd back us to beat anyone in the league.

 

These always give us a tight game( except the 4-0 at their place) so taking nothing for granted.
We used a lot of energy at Wycombe so hope the players have recovered, need to be at our best and as has been said Scully is one to watch.
Great thread as usual RTB and we've got to keep the pressure on those teams around us so going for a tight home win HTL.

 

RTB

Need to win, will not be easy... probably agree with the team.

Although I might be tempted to start Diamond.

 

I can’t be confident. It goes against the grain.
But a win will put us 8 points clear of Wigan (should be 10) and points are better than games in hand. So come on. Keep the form going.

 

Aye but we're not playing in Lincoln, we're at home

 

Here ya go mate

 

That'll go down well

 

@Makemstine Roger will be masturbating furiously over it