Sunday twenty second February 2026Sunderland v Fulham – Premier LeagueStadium of Mild Kick-Off: 14:00Tickets & Match Protection
Tickets: Tickets are bought out.
TV/Stream: Full dwell match protection is accessible by way of Sky Sports activities.
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Radio: Full dwell match commentary obtainable by way of BBC Radio Newcastle (not on-line)
The build-up…
We’re doing one thing right this moment that we haven’t confronted up to now this season. We’ve talked about how effectively Sunderland have bounced again from defeats – having bounced again from the primary six league defeats with a victory – however right this moment is the primary time we’re responding to successive losses within the Premier League this season, in addition to aiming to bounce again rapidly on our house patch after a house defeat.
The factor is, with this, is that it doesn’t actually really feel prefer it.
The performances towards Arsenal and Liverpool softened the blow of dropping and, in some methods, allowed you to neglect we had been on the mistaken finish of the end result. Nonetheless, it does imply that on paper we’ve misplaced 4 of the final six video games within the league, and right this moment is the primary in a sequence of video games that we will probably goal to gather some factors – on paper a minimum of.
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Rumours are circulating on the time of writing that we could possibly be again as much as full power, together with Granit Xhaka, so I think about all eyes shall be trying on the membership’s socials for a possible image of a sure shirt within the dressing room this morning if it hasn’t already been introduced.
However, no matter Xhaka being match or not, Le Bris is prone to ring the adjustments after making six when naming his facet at Oxford. Optimistically, it offered a number of gamers an opportunity to recuperate from a knock or two and relaxation up for a weekend whereas we marched on the cup.
Final time we beat Fulham on the Stadium of Mild, we had them to thank for a much-needed win below Chris Coleman to halt us breaking all types of data for the mistaken causes – does it actually really feel simply over eight years since we had been in that place?
Fulham appears like one massive lengthy drama this season – and it appears like the remainder of the soccer world isn’t actually bothered. They’re simply not likely a membership who generate the headlines – except it’s bought one thing to do with a former proprietor, however I’m not entering into that.
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They’re in all probability the most important membership nonetheless but to win a significant trophy – solutions on a postcard in the event you assume there’s one larger – nevertheless it’s very straightforward to neglect, as a result of it’s a membership you retain forgetting about. Even when their fairly profitable supervisor threatens to depart for months on finish, it nonetheless struggles to make the again pages.
Marco Silva returned Fulham to the Premier League on the first time of asking and has since completed between tenth and thirteenth within the three seasons within the high flight, whereas reaching the FA Cup quarter-final twice and the semi-final of the League Cup. So, in abstract, he’s performed a superb job, and his contract is up on the finish of this season.
There are stories that he has a hefty launch clause, which could have scared off any potential membership seeking to take him from Fulham, so it’s a debate inside the Fulham fan base if Silva is attempting to get Fulham to be extra formidable or if he’s searching for his personal pursuits – time will inform.
Anyway, forward of the sport right this moment, Fulham have misplaced 4 out of the final six, and particularly their away kind, they’ve misplaced eight out of 13 up to now and gained simply three – and people three had been towards West Ham, Burnley, and Spurs, who’re all within the backside 4 by way of their house kind.
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Along with that, when you have managed to take heed to our opposition preview podcast, which dropped on Saturday, Russ Goldman from The Cottage Speak podcast advised us they’re fairly crap at defending set items and have conceded fairly a number of late targets – meals for thought.
The bookies have the Lads at 13/8 to win the sport, whereas Fulham are additionally priced at 13/8, and the draw is 11/5.
Face to face… at Sunderland
(All competitions)
Final time we met… on the Stadium of LightWednesday eighth February 2023FA Cup Fourth Spherical – ReplaySunderland 2-3 Fulham
[Clarke 77’, Bennette 90’ – Wilson 8’, Pereira 59’, Kurzawa 82’]
Sunderland: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, Batth, Alese, Neil (O’Nien), Michut (Ekwah), Roberts (Pritchard), Diallo (Bennette), Clarke, Ba (Rigg) Substitutes not used: Bass, Johnson, Kelly, Watson
Fulham: Rodak, Tete (Reid), Kurzawa, Palhinha (Reed), Duffy, Adarabioyo, Wilson, Harris (Pereira), Vinicius (Mitrovic), Cairney, Soloman (James) Substitutes not used: Leno, Diop, Robinson, Willian
Attendance: 29,651
Sunderland v Fulham: Emirates FA Cup Fourth Spherical Replay
Prediction…Sunderland 1-0 Fulham
Fulham are a bizarre facet. It isn’t going to come back straightforward, however a purpose from a set piece could possibly be the distinction.