Sunderland go head-to-head with Queens Park Rangers at the Stadium of Light tomorrow afternoon in the Sky Bet Championship.
The Lads will be looking to record their first home victory over QPR since 2012 – goals from Nicklas Bendtner, James McClean and Stephane Sessegnon enough to claim a 3-1 victory.
Opposition
Queens Park Rangers sit one point above the relegation zone in 20thposition in the Sky Bet Championship table with 39 points from 37 games. The Hoops have secured 10 wins, nine draws and suffered 18 defeats so far this term.
The visitors have lost just twice in their last 10 league matches, Stoke City and Middlesbrough being the only two sides to take maximum points from the West London club in recent weeks.
Marti Cifuentes replaced Gareth Ainsworth as the R’s new boss at the back end of October and has so far collected 31 points from 24 matches.
In front of goal, Ilias Chair and Lyndon Dykes top the Hoops’ goalscoring charts having scored five times each – the former has also contributed six assists in 35 appearances.
Familiar face Jack Colback returns to the Stadium of Light having graduated from the Black Cats’ academy in 2008 and spent six years in the first team set-up, appearing 135 times overall, scoring five goals.
Team News
Sunderland will be without defender Jenson Seelt who has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign while Luke O’Nien remains suspended as he completes a two-match ban following his 10th booking of the season.
Bradley Dack and Corry Evans will not be involved as they build up their match fitness, however, Dodds expects both to feature for the Under-21s against Newcastle on Monday.
Long-term absentees Jack Clarke, Patrick Roberts, Dennis Cirkin, Niall Huggins, Elliot Embleton and Aji Alese continue to be unavailable for selection.
Around the grounds
Saturday
Swansea City vs Cardiff City (12:30pm)
Birmingham City vs Watford (3pm)
Ipswich Town vs Sheffield Wednesday (3pm)
Middlesbrough vs Blackburn Rovers (3pm)
Plymouth Argyle vs Preston North End (3pm)
Rotherham United vs Huddersfield Town (3pm)
Stoke City vs Norwich City (3pm)
West Bromwich Albion vs Bristol City (3pm)
Sunday
Leeds United vs Millwall (3pm)