2024-25 Sky Bet Championship: Week 25 – Sunderland vs Sheffield Utd

Sunderland kick off 2025 with a blockbuster Championship clash against Sheffield United. 

Sunderland will stay fourth regardless of the result, whilst Sheffield Utd could begin this game knowing that they can go top if Leeds lose to Blackburn.

 

Team News

Chris Rigg is still unavailable for Sunderland after he missed their 1-0 loss at Stoke, due to an ankle injury.

Dan Ballard, Ian Poveda, Salis Abdul Samed (all muscle), Romaine Mundle (hamstring), Alan Browne (leg), Ahmed Abdullahi (groin), Tommy Watson (knee/ankle), Jenson Seelt, and Niall Huggins (both knee) remain sidelined.

Sheffield Utd will be without defender, Harry Souttar after the Australian missed their 1-1 draw against West Brom, having suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on Boxing Day.

Oliver Arblaster (ACL) remains absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Sunderland host Sheffield Utd at Stadium of Light on Wednesday 1 January 2025 at 8pm GMT, live on Sky Sports in the UK.

 

Stat Attack

• Sunderland are winless in their last five league meetings against Sheffield Utd (L5).
• Sheffield Utd have won two of their last eight league visits to Sunderland (W2, D1, L5).
• Sunderland have lost two of their last three meetings against the Blades by 2-1 results.
• Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland have failed to keep a clean sheet in four of their last five home games.
• Sydie Peck has been booked in three of Sheffield Utd’s last four away games.

 

Prediction

After a wasteful but dominant display at Stoke, Sunderland now need to be clinical and win if want to keep pace in the automatic promotion race, otherwise they might need to think about consolidating a potentially likely play-off spot.

Sheffield Utd though haven’t had the best week like Sunderland with a draw and defeat in the past week, but know that they have the upper mental hand from their home win at end of November in a hot-tempered contest.

Sunderland however are yet to lose at home so I do expect another tough scrap but with a point apiece.

Prediction: Sunderland 1-1 Sheffield Utd

Result: Sunderland 2-1 Sheffield Utd