Preview: Sunderland vs. Stoke City - prediction, team news, lineups

Stoke City question to the North East for Saturday's all-Championship FA Cup necktie against Sunderland astatine the Stadium of Light.

The hosts are searching for a 3rd consecutive victory, portion the visitors are hoping to assertion their archetypal triumph nether Mark Robins's tutelage.

Match preview

© Imago

Sunderland volition beryllium looking for revenge successful Saturday's cupful necktie aft they fell to a constrictive 1-0 distant decision to Stoke successful their Championship gathering astatine the extremity of December.

The Black Cats person since returned to winning ways, claiming back-to-back location victories to leave them successful 4th spot and conscionable 2 points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

Regis Le Bris's broadside claimed a 2-1 triumph implicit promotion rivals Sheffield United, earlier they recorded a constrictive 1-0 triumph successful Sunday's gathering with relegation-threatened Portsmouth, which came courtesy of Wilson Isidor's seventh-minute effort.

As a effect of those 2 wins, Sunderland stay unbeaten astatine the Stadium of Light this season, having won 9 and drawn 4 of their 13 location matches.

Sunderland volition present look to bushed Stoke astatine the Stadium of Light for the 2nd clip this word aft clinching a 2-1 triumph successful their location league brushwood connected December 7.

© Imago

Robins is preparing to instrumentality complaint of his 2nd lucifer arsenic Stoke manager aft opening his tenure with a goalless gully against Plymouth Argyle astatine the bet365 Stadium.

While that represented a 2nd consecutive goalless matter for the Potters, the effect extended their unbeaten tally to 3 Championship matches, leaving them 4 points wide of the relegation zone.

They person besides kept cleanable sheets successful each of those 3 matches, which volition capable them with content that they tin negate a Sunderland broadside that are presently the fourth-highest scorers successful the Championship.

However, their hopes of progressing from Saturday's FA Cup necktie whitethorn beryllium tempered by the information they person mislaid 7 of their past 11 competitory distant matches.

Nevertheless, Stoke volition inactive question to the Stadium of Light with hopes of reaching the 4th circular for the 3rd clip successful the 4 seasons, arsenic Robins looks to embark connected different cupful tally aft reaching the semi-finals with Coventry City past term.

Sunderland signifier (all competitions):

Stoke City signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Sunderland are expected to beryllium without the services of Alan Browne, Romaine Mundle, Ian Poveda and Tommy Watson.

Dan Ballard and Ahmed Abdullahi volition not beryllium acceptable for Saturday's contest, but they could beryllium their fittingness successful clip for Sunderland's adjacent league fixture against Burnley.

The midfield duo of Chris Rigg and Salis Abdul Samed are acceptable to travel into the matchday squad aft recovering from their respective wounded issues.

As for the visitors, they could beryllium without Ben Pearson, Jordan Thompson, Eric-Junior Bocat and Million Manhoef.

Midfielder Lewis Baker is acceptable to travel into the starting lineup aft precocious being recalled from his indebtedness spell with Blackburn Rovers.

Leicester loanee Tom Cannon volition proceed to pb the line, with the striker looking to adhd the 10 goals helium has scored this season, including the victor successful Stoke's astir caller gathering with Sunderland.

Sunderland imaginable starting lineup:
Patterson; Hume, Mepham, O'Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Bellingham; Roberts, Rigg, Aouchiche; Isidor

We say: Sunderland 1-0 Stoke City

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