Sunderland host Plymouth Argyle in a huge Championship fixture affecting both ends of the table.
Victory will lift Sunderland up to third in the table until at least Monday evening, whilst Plymouth will stay bottom regardless of the result.
Team News
Sunderland have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 1-0 win at Derby in midweek.
Ahmed Abdullahi (groin), Ian Poveda (muscle), Romaine Mundle (hamstring), Alan Browne (leg), Tommy Watson (knee/ankle), Aji Alese, Jenson Seelt and Niall Huggins (all knee) remain sidelined.
Plymouth will be without midfielder, Morgan Whittaker following his move to Middlesbrough.
Brendan Galloway (quad) is again considered a doubt but Joe Edwards, Muhamed Tijani (both hamstring), Kornel Szucs (fitness) and Michael Obafemi (ineligible) won’t be available.
When is Kick-Off?
Sunderland host Plymouth at Stadium of Light on Saturday 25 January at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Sunderland have lost two of their last six meetings against Plymouth (W3, D1, L2).
- Plymouth have won two of their last five visits to Sunderland (W2, L3).
- Both teams have scored in five of their last six meetings on Wearside, except for a 2-0 home win for Sunderland in March 2019.
- Sunderland have kept clean sheets in their last three league matches (W2, D1).
- Plymouth have scored just one goal and conceded seven goals in their last four league games.
Prediction
Having come through a tightly-fought battle at Derby with the win, Sunderland now know that this is a huge chance to get a solid victory to boost their goal difference and that disallowed second goal will only motivate them further here.
Plymouth meanwhile were just a defensive horror show in the first half of their loss to Burnley so a huge improvement will be needed considering their awful league form with no win in over two months, but they must do the basics here and be clinical if want to cut their deficit in the survival race.
I however can’t see the visitors getting anything here if Sunderland turn up and deliver a strong attacking display.
Prediction: Sunderland 2-0 Plymouth
Result: Sunderland 2-2 Plymouth