Martin Wanless predicts…
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 2 Sunderland 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Le Charge
After Wednesday’s journey to Anfield, it’s one other wonderful recreation for us to deal with.
I wonder if we’ll rotate the squad a little bit – the plain suspension menace to Sadiki and Xhaka is one thing that can absolutely come into the supervisor’s considering, and if we do rotate a bit, it may affect our possibilities.
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That mentioned, I feel we’ll be just about unchanged, so I’ve gone with a Le Charge purpose to open the scoring for us in an entertaining draw.
‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts…
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brobbey
The lads did us very proud and nearly nicked it at Anfield, and I feel we’ll rotate a little bit however hold it tight nonetheless.
Brobbey had an OK run out, and I feel he’ll once more begin for us, with Wilson more likely to come on from the bench in opposition to legs that the large hold-up specialist can have drained out.
If we are able to get a draw right here, we can have taken an amazing return from this sequence of very robust video games, and can bounce into subsequent weekend with confidence that we are able to tackle anybody.
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If we rotate and lose, we’ll nonetheless have rested just a few for the arrival of The Scum, so within the scheme of free hits, that is in all probability one to take evenly nonetheless it goes.
Huge Brian to get us one, and them to get one again, and all of us transfer on to the house derby. Candy.
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 2 Sunderland 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Le Charge
It’s superb this season, simply retains getting higher and frequently stunning. Who would have thought on the season’s starting that we might come away from a recreation away at Anfield bitterly upset to not win the sport? We’ve got come up to now and one other large take a look at lingers on the horizon.
Man Metropolis are engaged on chasing down Arsenal with their present gung-ho, rating another than you coverage, successfully spearheaded by the demonic Erling Haaland.
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There aren’t any questions – if we are able to discover a approach to cease Haaland, we’ve an opportunity right here; in any other case, we’ll should be equally proficient within the attacking third. The Norwegian is once more in phenomenal type, and we are able to’t afford to even give him half-chances.
The silver lining is that Metropolis appear to be leaking targets in the intervening time, with 6 conceded in opposition to Leeds and Fulham, in high-scoring affairs. It’s value noting that they nonetheless received each of these video games, so we have to be robust and uncompromising.
I’d count on to see the 5 on the again stay, in addition to the imposing presence of Brian Brobbey, as we glance to be steely on the again and potent on the break. The yellow card conundrum continues to linger on with Xhaka and Sadiki each one away from a ban, so I’m to see how we method it.
A really robust recreation, with an enormous one across the nook that I don’t wish to take into consideration proper now. Let’s get via this unscathed, seize an enormous level, and kit up for battle for the arrival of the barcode military.
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 3 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Traore
The Etihad, Saturday 3pm, and that is the place actuality may chew. We’ve been good in opposition to the large boys, however Metropolis are nonetheless Metropolis. Haaland’s a machine, and with Rodri pulling the strings, they’ll suffocate you in addition to blow you away.
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Traoré’s appeared energetic, and I fancy him to nick the one having been rested, however over 90 minutes, I feel they may have an excessive amount of. It’s no shame, and we’ll nonetheless stroll out proud, however I reckon this one ends in defeat.
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 3 Sunderland 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brobbey
Think about telling your self initially of the season that we’d come away from Anfield barely upset, having solely acquired a draw.
Up subsequent are Man Metropolis, and this might be one other large take a look at for us, however one I do know the workforce will relish.
They’re the highest scorers within the league up to now, amassing 32 targets and failing to attain in just one recreation.
However with the joint third-best defensive document, and our love of defending, it’s an attention-grabbing conflict.
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This a free hit in each sense. If we come away with nothing, accidents and suspensions included, I’ll sleep nicely earlier than subsequent Sunday’s showdown.
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 1 Sunderland 3
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Hume
Within the greatest shock of the season, we’ll go away the Etihad with all three factors.
The bigger golf equipment within the league up to now have uncared for to do sufficient analysis into how we play, and I’m praying Pep is strictly the identical.
Lip service is one factor, however when he’s speaking about how we performed in opposition to Fulham, our worst efficiency of the season by the way in which, and the way good we had been, it sounds a bit like he’s taking the piss.
If we flip up the way in which we performed in opposition to Liverpool, with the identical aspect, and the identical depth ranges, we go away with all three factors. All we want is to be a bit extra scientific and for Dan Ballard to stretch his pocket a little bit bit extra to suit Haaland into it.
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Hume will begin this all with a thunderbastard from 30 yards.
Haway!
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 2 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Alderete
So apparently we’re fairly good, notably in the case of going through the large golf equipment – and now we face one other.
This one might be a nail-biter, and it’s nothing to do with the consequence. I’ll simply be sitting on the sting of my seat, praying that neither Xhaka nor Sadiki choose up a yellow card and miss the derby. Given their combative natures, it solely takes one thing barely mistimed in opposition to quick-footed opposition, so I’m suitably bricking it. Each are crucial figures for the subsequent recreation, and it’s unthinkable to be with out both.
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Man Metropolis are unquestionably sturdy, however they haven’t been convincing of late, so we’ve an enormous likelihood to get one thing right here. We’ve definitely had their quantity just a few occasions since they acquired wealthy. I’m simply nonetheless pinching myself and may’t get my head round predicting wins and attracts at these stadiums.
He had a few possibilities within the field at Anfield and appears a menace, so I’m punting on Alderete to get a purpose on the Etihad.
Rating prediction: Man Metropolis 2 Sunderland 3
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ballard
Why the hell not?
Everyone knows Metropolis can blow groups away, however as proven with 6 targets in 2 video games in opposition to Leeds and Fulham, they will also be acquired at.
The lads will go into this one completely brimming with confidence. The outcomes in opposition to Chelsea, Arsenal, and now most just lately Liverpool present they thrive on this type of event.
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We’ll want each participant on it from the off to get a consequence, however please, Xhaka and Sadik,i play good.
If not for a flailing heel from Chiesa, we might have received at Anfield for the primary time in a long time.
Regardless of that very late missed likelihood, the lads did the travelling followers and the entire of Wearside proud on Merseyside within the week. A barely lucky deflected shot by Talbi was levelled by a far more deflected (and therefore personal purpose) for them.
Honours even, and as we speak we’ve one other main problem on our arms as we glance to increase our unbeaten run and possibly even pull off a serious upset.
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This workforce can’t do something that surprises me any extra, let’s give them a bloody good recreation, lads and see how we do.
A superb day for the fence sitters, with Malc and Martin choosing up 3 factors every for calling the one 2 draw forecasts within the listing.
Everybody else went for a slim win both method, and no person noticed Talbi being the lad to open our account, so no extras for that facet both.
Malc climbs as much as joint second, and Martin secures a mid-table spot with their respective 3-point hauls and nothing for his or her friends.
Gair is backside of the predictions league however prime of the “Gung Ho” calls league by a great distance.
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If he begins climbing this desk, we might be in Europe earlier than it. Let’s hope that occurs then, eh!
Only a fast reminder of how we allocate factors to our match-by-match predictions:
Right rating = Three factors
Right end result (however not appropriate rating) = One level
Right first Sunderland goalscorer = One level (no goalscorer is a sound name)
Potential deductions for being lazy and never submitting on time = a two-point deduction.