Sunderland have very little time to celebrate their win over Stoke City from the weekend, as they’re in action again in midweek against Bristol City.
It’s another home tie for Sunderland, as the Stadium of Light plays host to a clash between the Black Cats and a wildly inconsistent Bristol side who sit slap-bang in the middle of the Championship table.
Regis Le Bris will be hoping his side can put together a strong run now as they look to get their promotion hopes back on track, and Sunderland will fancy their chances against the Robins.
But, Le Bris has insisted that Sunderland should be wary of the threat Bristol City pose, and as we know, anyone can beat anyone in the Championship.
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Sunderland have too much for Bristol City to deal with
Discussing the upcoming fixture on the latest episode of the Championship Check-In, Benjamin Bloom and Sam Parkin backed Sunderland to do what is expected of them and secure the three points at home.
Bloom said: “I fancy them to go and get another win… Do Bristol City score at Sunderland? I don’t think so.” The host went on to predict a 2-0 win for the Black Cats, before praising the “brilliant” Tommy Watson after his two-goal heroics at the weekend.
Parkin added: “In stature he’s very similar to Chris Rigg: tall, good mover. Skills like Patrick Roberts, too. A bit of a hybrid. There were mass celebrations after his goals.”
On the game between Sunderland and Bristol City, Parkin said: “I see them winning here. But I see Bristol City responding positively to that defeat [against Portsmouth]. I’ll give them a goal. I don’t think, despite their inconsistencies, that Bristol City can get anything. 2-1 to Sunderland.”
Sunderland have to beat Bristol City if they’re serious about promotion
It’s hard to get a read on Sunderland’s opponents, but what we do know about Bristol City ahead of the game is that they are seriously inconsistent, but have players like Naki Wells and Max Bird who can really hurt teams.
Still, at home, against a team who have not won on the road in over a month, Sunderland have to get a result over the line and really showcase their title credentials.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  Sheff UtdSheffield Utd | 19 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 11 | 16 | 39 |
| 2 |  LeedsLeeds | 19 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 33 | 13 | 20 | 38 |
| 3 |  BurnleyBurnley | 19 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 24 | 7 | 17 | 37 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 19 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 36 |
| 5 |  MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough | 19 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 33 | 22 | 11 | 31 |
| 6 |  BlackburnBlackburn | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 31 |
A win here would keep Sunderland right in the race at the top of the Championship. Both Burnley and Sheffield United beat Bristol, and with all due respect, they are the kind of team that you would expect any serious contender to defeat.