Emirates FA Cup football resumes for Sunderland this Saturday, as we make the trip to South-West London to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage in the competition’s fourth round (KO 3pm).
The contest in the capital provides the Lads with Premier League opposition for the first time since facing Arsenal in 2021, with Marco Silva’s side bound to prove a stern test as they sit seventh in the top-flight table – just eight points outside the top four.
Team news
Tony Mowbray confirmed this week that captain Corry Evans will be ruled out for the remainder of the season with damage to the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
Elliot Embleton is another long-term absentee whilst Luke O’Nien is suspended, and Dennis Cirkin, Lynden Gooch and Alex Pritchard are also missing.
On a positive note, newly arrived French duo Pierre Ekwah and Isaac Lihadji are both set to make the trip south, and youngsters including Zak Johnson, Tommy Watson and Chris Rigg could also travel.
Opposition
Fulham have enjoyed an excellent first half of the campaign, upon their return to the Premier League as Championship title winners last May. The Cottagers have swapped divisions in each of the last five seasons, not finishing outside the Championship’s top six since 2016. Despite losing their last two league match, Silva’s men returned from the World Cup break to put together a five-game winning run in all competitions – including their third round win over Hull City three weeks ago.
Whilst without a modern-day major trophy, Fulham’s most famous generational achievement was reaching the 2010 UEFA Europa League final. Under Roy Hodgson, the club produced famous continental victories over Juventus, Wolfsburg, Hamburg and Shakhtar Donetsk. Fulham also won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 2002.
Around the grounds (Saturday 3pm unless stated)
Manchester City vs Arsenal (Fri 8pm)
Walsall vs Leicester (Sat 12:30pm)
Accrington vs Leeds (Sat 12:30pm)
Sheffield Wednesday vs Fleetwood
Blackburn vs Birmingham
Southampton vs Blackpool
Ipswich vs Burnley
Bristol City vs West Brom
Luton vs Grimsby
Preston vs Tottenham (Sat 6pm)
Manchester United vs Reading (Sat 8pm)
Brighton vs Liverpool (Sun 1:30pm)
Stoke vs Stevenage (Sat 2pm)
Wrexham vs Sheffield United (Sun 4:30pm)
Derby vs West Ham (Mon 7:45pm)
Tickets & coverage
Away tickets are now sold out for our trip to Craven Cottage this Saturday.
Streaming will be unavailable due to FA broadcasting restrictions – audio commentary will be available via SAFC Live.
Social media coverage will be active via the club’s official pages on Twitter @SunderlandAFC, and Instagram @sunderlandafcofficial.