Looking to extend their unbeaten run in the league to three matches, Sunderland will host Wayne Rooney's Birmingham City at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon in the Championship.
The Black Cats are within striking distance of the top six after four points from their last two games, while Blues are languishing in the bottom half as they search for their first win under the new management.
Match preview
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After successive losses to Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough, a resurgent Stoke City and second-tier pacesetters Leicester City, Sunderland have done well to bounce back and earn four points from matches against Norwich City and Swansea City over the past fortnight.
The Black Cats rounded off the month of October with a comeback success against David Wagner's Canaries at the Stadium of Light courtesy of goals from Trai Hume, Daniel Neil and Premier League-linked Jack Clarke, before Tony Mowbray's side played out a goalless draw in South Wales with Swansea City seven days later.
Following the departures of the likes of Amad Diallo and striker Ross Stewart over the summer, Sunderland have a real fight to replicate last season's success of finishing inside the division's playoffs, with the North-East club currently eighth, two points behind sixth-placed Preston North End.
A real hindrance to the Black Cats' potential push for automatic promotion last term was their inconsistent record at the Stadium of Light, and things have not started so brightly in front of their home faithful so far this campaign, with Mowbray's side losing three of their seven games at the venue, including a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Boro.
The former top-flight regulars are attempting to nurture a young crop of talent who can eventually break the club back into the Premier League, with 18-year-old Jobe Bellingham signed from Saturday's visitors in the summer - the England youth international is set to face his boyhood club this weekend.
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After Jay Stansfield netted his fifth goal of the second-tier term to open the scoring for Birmingham and Ipswich Town defender Cameron Burgess scored past his own goalkeeper, it appeared as if Rooney's side would be rewarded for a much-improved performance with all three points against Kieran McKenna's promotion-chasing Tractor Boys.
Despite a promising display for around 75 minutes, Blues were unable to resist the visitors' pressure in the final stages last weekend, with attacker Marcus Harness coming off the bench and bagging a quickfire brace, meaning the Second City club were forced to share the spoils with their East Anglian counterparts.
Having collected only one point from his opening four matches at the helm, the St Andrew's jury is still well and truly out on Manchester United and England legend Rooney, who has committed to a fearless style of football at a club who harbour ambitions of returning to the Premier League.
Blues currently sit 15th in the Championship standings after earning 19 points from their first 15 games, and with sixth-placed Preston now six points away, Saturday's visitors will need to pick up a maximum sooner rather than later in order to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.
Much has been made of the attacking talents of Siriki Dembele and Koji Miyoshi in the early stages of 2023-24, as has the defensive work of captain Dion Sanderson, with the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man and John Ruddy being the only Birmingham players who have started every second-tier fixture so far.
Team News
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After signing permanently from French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, right-back Timothee Pembele is yet to feature for Sunderland due to a knee injury sustained in October.
Ajibola Alese is another young full-back currently in the medical room for the Black Cats, with the 22-year-old last appearing during the playoff semi-final defeat to Luton Town in May.
Defensive-minded midfielder Corry Evans has been on the sidelines since January due to a cruciate ligament injury, and the Northern Ireland international is said to be targeting a return in the New Year.
Birmingham welcomed back Ethan Laird into their starting XI for the first time since August for the stalemate with Ipswich, and after collecting the Player of the Match award, the right-back will retain his spot in the team.
None of Keshi Anderson, Lee Buchanan and Tyler Roberts will be available for the trip to the Stadium of Light, but the trio of summer arrivals are hoping to return after the international break.
George Hall has returned to first-team training following multiple setbacks during his rehabilitation from a hamstring issue, while fellow academy graduate Alfie Chang has been ruled out for the remainder of the term because of a serious knee injury.
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Patterson; Hume, O'Nien, Ballard, Huggins; Ekwah, Clarke, Bellingham, Neil, Roberts; Semedo
Birmingham City possible starting lineup:
Ruddy; Laird, Sanderson, Aiwu, Drameh; Bielik, Sunjic, Bacuna; Miyoshi, Burke, Stansfield
We say: Sunderland 2-1 Birmingham City
Sunderland have struggled at the Stadium of Light at points so far this season, but the visit of an out-of-form Birmingham side represents a good chance to collect maximum points.
Blues are improving slowly as the squad gets accustomed to Rooney's style of play, although we do not believe that a maiden victory for the new boss is on the cards this weekend.
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Top tip
Carter White
