Newly promoted Sunderland host Coventry City at Stadium of Light in the first Super Sunday clash of 2022-23 Championship season.
Alex Neil’s Black Cats will be looking to get their return to the second-tier off to a strong start, whereas Coventry will seek to build upon their 12th-placed finish of last season and fight for promotion.
Team News
Having invested heavily in squad reinforcement this summer, Sunderland will be looking to hand several new signings including; Daniel Ballard, Jack Clarke, Aji Alese and Ellis Simms their club debuts.
Niall Huggins remains absent with a heel injury suffered in March and won’t be rushed back to full fitness, despite travelling with the first-team for a pre-season training camp in Portugal.
Coventry will look to hand Kasey Palmer his competitive debut following his move from Bristol City, whilst Dermi Lusala, Callum Doyle and Jonathan Panzo are other new signings looking for their debuts here.
Martyn Waghorn could also feature after he missed their final pre-season friendly due to a calf injury.
Captain, Liam Kelly is ruled out with a hamstring injury suffered during pre-season.
Stat Attack
- Sunderland have won just one of their last six league meetings against Coventry (W1, D2, L3).
- Coventry have won just one of their seven previous visits to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light in all competitions (W1, D3, L3).
- Sunderland haven’t gone three consecutive home matches against Coventry without a win in all competitions since a run of three goalless draws between September 1984 – November 1990.
- The Black Cats are unbeaten in their last five opening-weekend fixture in a new season (W2, D3) – albeit all five matches were at home.
- Coventry have won three of their last five opening-weekend fixtures in a new season (W3, L2).
Prediction
Although it is easy to predict a season of adjustment for Sunderland, they do have an experienced Championship manager in Neil who has certainly reinvigorated this team with no defeats in their last 16 competitive matches of last season.
Neil has also been clever in the transfer market amidst a mass squad clearance this summer with Ballard, Clarke and Simms in particular set to add some extra quality, although Will Grigg and Aiden McGeady will be missed quality wise following their departures.
Coventry likewise have spent well in terms of improving their squad in specific areas and have gone unbeaten in pre-season, which will certainly give them a confidence boost after an inconsistent second half of last season which cost them a shot at play-offs.
I am therefore anticipating a good battle because Sunderland will be eager to start their campaign well, whereas the Stadium of Light has been Coventry’s Achilles heel but if they start well and build momentum, I can see the Sky Blues edging this if are clinical enough.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Coventry City
Result: Sunderland 1-1 Coventry City
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