Sunderland have the chance to move up the Championship table this week, but they’ll need to get past Derby County first.
Last time out for Sunderland, a 0-0 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor was filled with disappointment as the Black Cats missed two penalties that could have taken all three points from their promotion rivals.
However, the result keeps Regis Le Bris’ side right in the mix when it comes to reaching the Premier League this season, and they’ll feel confident going into this away trip to Derby.
We had a go at predicting Sunderland’s lineup for the game, and now, two Championship experts have offered their score prediction for the game.
- READ MORE: How to watch Derby County vs Sunderland as Black Cats look to go third in Championship table
Sunderland tipped for an away win against Derby County
The folks on the Championship Check-In podcast looked ahead to the midweek fixtures in the second tier, and when assessing Sunderland’s hopes of an away win, both Benjamin Bloom and Sam Parkin were unanimous in predicting a happy trip for the Black Cats, with more misery for Derby and Paul Warne.
Bloom said: “I’m going to predict an away win, and this is getting concerning for Paul Warne. We said if the home form dropped for Derby they’d be in trouble, and you feel the fans are starting to turn.
“Sunderland should have beaten Burnley, missed two penalties, should have been a statement win, but I think they’ll get the away win they need at Derby. I think it’s going to be a big problem for Warne. I’ll say Derby nil, Sunderland two.”
Parkin saw nothing but a win for the Sunderland squad, too, adding: “I can’t disagree with the outcome. I’ll go 2-1 to Sunderland. Things aren’t great between the supporters and Paul Warne, which is disappointing. Survival would be a good achievement for Derby.
“On form and the state of play at the moment, I have to go for an away win.”
Sunderland cannot afford to get complacent against Derby
We know Sunderland are capable of dismantling teams like Derby with ease, but they will have to remain focused to get the win here, and it would be great to see a really clinical, ruthless display from the Black Cats.
While Chris Mepham will be key to combatting Derby’s physical presence in attack, it will be down to the likes of Wilson Isidor, Eliezer Mayenda, and the incredibly creative Sunderland midfield to unlock the Rams’ defence and put them to the sword.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LeedsLeeds | 27 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 51 | 19 | 32 | 56 |
| 2 |  Sheff UtdSheffield Utd | 27 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 38 | 17 | 21 | 55 |
| 3 |  BurnleyBurnley | 27 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 31 | 9 | 22 | 53 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 27 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 39 | 22 | 17 | 51 |
| 5 |  BlackburnBlackburn | 27 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 31 | 24 | 7 | 42 |
| 6 |  West BromWest Brom | 27 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 33 | 22 | 11 | 41 |
Derby are fighting for their lives, and that can often lead to spirited, surprising performances. Of course, Le Bris will not allow his players to get complacent and they will be acutely aware of what Derby are capable of, but Sunderland surely have too much to handle for the home team.
If they get the three points here, Sunderland can move ahead of Burnley, at least for 24 hours. Even still, that would be a real statement as to just how relentless the Black Cats are going to be as we head into the business end of the season.