Sunderland VS Middlesbrough – Match Preview & Prediction

The Black Cats face Middlesbrough in the Wear-Tees ‘Derby’, as they look to bounce back following their first defeat of the season last week against Plymouth.

A last minute Joe Edwards goal against Plymouth last week gave Sunderland their first defeat of the season as they dropped to 2nd in the league table.

A win for The Black Cats could see them climb back to the top of the table, depending on West Brom’s result against Plymouth.

Middlesbrough have had a topsy-turvy start to the season, currently sitting in 10th, but they have won just one of their last 4 championship matches.

A win for Middlesbrough could see them climb up as high as 3rd, depending on other results.

The last time the 2 sides met at the Stadium of Lights, Dan Neil was controversially sent off for descent, and Middlesbrough beat 10-man Sunderland 0-4 in their own back yard.

Sunderland have just won 1 of their last 10 games against the Teessiders, their only win coming in January 2023, with a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Ross Stewart and Amad Diallo.

Romaine Mundle could become only the second Sunderland player to ever score 4 goals in consecutive matches in the championship, the only other player was Ross Stewart back in 2022/23.

Team News

Dan Ballard could feature, despite limping off against Plymouth last time out.

Alan Browne will miss the fixture due to a small injury.

Salis Abdul Samed will begin training next week, and he could feature against Watford next week.

Prediction

Sunderland 3-1 Middlesbrough

Scorers – Mayenda, Mundle and Isidor