Here is our predicted starting line-up as Sunderland take on Southampton.
Sunderland are set to take on another one of the three relegated clubs tomorrow, having lost out to Leicester City on home soil earlier this week.
The Black Cats now sit ten points from the Championship’s top six and will need to cause a huge upset at St Mary’s Stadium if they are to be within a chance of reviving their campaign.
Mike Dodds‘ side will be tasked with keeping out Adam Armstrong and Che Adams this weekend, with the pair netting 29 goals and providing 16 assists between them this term.
Sunderland will be encouraged by the 5-0 hammering they gave the Saints earlier in the season, but Russell Martin’s side have definitely come on leaps and bounds since their howler on Wearside.
Dodds will be hoping his team can pick up where they left off after a promising second half against the Foxes, while fans will be eagerly waiting to see if he makes any alterations to his starting eleven.
Here is our predicted XI…
Sunderland predicted XI vs Southampton
Anthony Patterson could have arguably been Sunderland’s man of the match after pulling off some spectacular saves in the opening 20 minutes against Leicester City.
The goalkeeper will undoubtedly keep his spot in between the sticks as he looks for his first clean sheet since New Year’s Day.
Trai Hume remains an important cog in Sunderland’s backline and will retain his place in the line-up this weekend, with the full-back likely to be asked to make more attacking runs once again.
Mike Dodds is likely to return to a back four due to Luke O’Nien’s suspension, with Jenson Seelt partnering up with Dan Ballard in the heart of defence. Leo Hjelde was criticised after his performance against Leicester, but injuries elsewhere means he will keep his place.
It is always hard to tell who is playing where beyond the defence under Mike Dodds, but I predict Pierre Ekwah and Dan Neil to continue in that central role.
Dodds has admitted that Sunderland need to be careful with Chris Rigg, but I think fans would explode if he wasn’t to start again on the south coast. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t surprise me if Jobe Bellingham starts yet again, with those two seeming to move around the midfield wherever they feel appropriate. Rigg found himself out wide later on against the Foxes, and could look to do that again.
Adil Aouchiche was ‘excellent’ when he was brought on on the hour mark the other day, so we could see him brought in to play just off Nazariy Rusyn. Luis Hemir Semedo has failed to impress in his two starts over the past week, and I’m not really sure he deserves a third chance already.