Saturday sixth December 2025Manchester Metropolis v Sunderland – Premier LeagueEtihad Stadium Kick-Off: 15:00Tickets & Match Protection
Tickets: Tickets are offered out.
TV/Stream: Full stay match protection is unavailable within the UK.
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Radio: Full stay match commentary obtainable through BBC Radio Newcastle (not on-line)
The build-up…
Sunderland AFC has been a complicated place for a very long time, however this week we left Anfield scratching our heads in a confused state as we tried to determine if we had been happy with the draw or not.
The sense of delight we took away from Merseyside was palpable, and a frustration that we didn’t take all three factors was possibly felt extra for the gamers than ourselves, as we wish this present crop of gamers to get all the pieces they deserve from video games primarily based on the sheer quantity of effort they put into it.
Even once we had been crap and languishing in League One, we’d all the time have a way of delight supporting Sunderland, however that is completely different, we’re pleased with each single a kind of gamers as a result of they present to anybody who needs to look, that they need success at this membership simply as a lot because the followers – and it’s not usually we are able to say that.
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Anyway, as quickly because the fixtures had been launched, we had our eyes on this set of three fixtures, and after the primary went in addition to we might have hoped, we now head to the Etihad to tackle Pep’s Metropolis within the second act within the trilogy, and we’re questioning what Regis Le Bris has up his sleeve subsequent.
Simply once we thought we had it nailed down in that he must go 5 on the again at Anfield, he places out a 4-4-2 with Trai Hume broad on the fitting, and we glance threatening going ahead. If the supervisor retains us followers guessing that watch the Lads each week, think about how opposition managers are second-guessing what we’re going to do subsequent – and it’s now right down to Pep to work it out at this time.
One factor hanging over the crew choice, nevertheless, is the actual fact Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki stay one yellow card away from a one-game ban, which at this time would imply they miss the derby. It will be a shock if it got here into the supervisor’s pondering, however the gamers are solely human, and they’re going to know what’s across the nook.
Final time we went to the Etihad was the start of the David Moyes season, and possibly days earlier than he utterly gave up any hope of holding us within the Premier League, however though issues have modified dramatically for ourselves, Metropolis and Pep proceed to problem for something going.
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As true as that is, they did have a relative shocker final season. After profitable six league titles in seven, Metropolis had a correct wobble and misplaced foolish quantities of video games in a brief interval and ended up ending third. We will solely think about how terrible that will need to have been for Metropolis followers – our ideas exit to you.
They’d a summer season the place they may reset on the pitch, whereas off the pitch, there was an expectation that somebody would possibly make a name relating to the 115 fees that allege breaches of monetary laws – a call that was mentioned to be “imminent” as current as every week in the past.
However on the pitch it didn’t look nice after 5 video games as that they had gained simply two, which raises the alarm at a membership as profitable as Manchester Metropolis. Seven wins out of 9 that adopted nevertheless silenced any of the panic and now means they’re in a chief place, simply 5 factors behind Arsenal as we enter the busy festive interval.
The take-home level is that Metropolis don’t have that aura that that they had 12-18 months in the past. The final two video games in opposition to Leeds and Fulham confirmed that sooner or later, the opposition realised they may get at Metropolis and in the long run Pep’s facet simply merely scored extra. This provides us that glimmer of hope that if we are able to maintain them out for lengthy sufficient, we’d simply have that one probability to take benefit.
The bookies have the Lads at 10/1 to win the sport, whereas Man Metropolis are priced at 1/5, and the draw is 5/1.
Face to face… in Manchester
(All competitions)
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Manchester Metropolis objectives: 152
Final time we met… on the Etihad StadiumSaturday thirteenth August 2016Premier LeagueManchester Metropolis 2-1 Sunderland
[Aguero (pen) 4’, McNair (OG) 87’ – Defoe 71’]
Sunderland: Mannone, Love, O’Shea, Kone, Kaboul, van Aanholt, Rodwell, Gooch (Khazri), Watmore (Januzaj), Borini, Defoe (McNair) Substitutes not used: Pickford, Djilobodji, Lens, Asoro
Manchester Metropolis: Boruc, A. Smith, Daniels, L. Cook dinner, Francis, S. Cook dinner, Pugh (Mousset), Arter, Afobe (Stanislas), Fraser (Gradel), King Substitutes not used: Hart, Zabaleta, Otamendi, Fernando
Attendance: 54,362
I need to consider, however it could possibly be a step too far. My coronary heart says a goalless draw, however my head says we’ll play effectively however not fairly have sufficient.