Cardiff City vs Sunderland Match Analysis & Prediction
10/08/2024 2:30 pm
Both looking to take the first step towards promtion to the Premier League, Cardiff City and Sunderland will meet at the Cardiff City Stadium in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
After 50 matches at the helm in South Wales and plenty of speculation surrounding his future at the club, Erol Bulut has signed a fresh two-year contract at the Cardiff City Stadium and will lead his troops into their 2024-25 Championship opener against Sunderland on Saturday.
Prior to Bulut’s arrival, Cardiff only avoided an unthinkable relegation to League One due to other sides suffering point deductions in the 2022-23 season, meaning that last campaign’s placement of 12th was a major step in the right direction for the Bluebirds.
The primary task for Cardiff this season will be figuring out how to bridge the gap in consistency and quality to the top six and subsequent playoff qualification, with Bulut’s side often struggling to showcase a recognisable style of play during large chunks of last season.
Starting just seven matches for Cardiff across 2023-24 due to a number of fitness issues, Aaron Ramsey is definitely capable of providing attacking magic for the Bluebirds, with the 33-year-old Welsh legend hoping to have a “season to remember” at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Following their playoff-securing campaign of 2022-23 under the tutelage of Tony Mowbray and the attacking excellence of Amad Diallo, Sunderland suffering a serious fall from grace last season, stumbling in the second half of the campaign to finish 16th, just six points above the relegation zone.
The ill-fated tenure of Michael Beale did a lot to derail Sunderland’s hopes of achieving back-to-back top-six placement, before interim head coach Mike Dodds guided a disgruntled and seemingly disengaged squad through until the end of a 46-game schedule to forget.
Saturday will welcome in a new era at Sunderland as Frenchman Regis Le Bris taakes charges of his first competitive match as manager of the Black Cats, with the 46-year-old arriving to excitement from supporters despite his relegation from Ligue 1 as Lorient boss last season.
Alongside a host of domestic friendlies, Sunderland have also tested themselves against a major European side in the build-up to this Saturday, with the Black Cats holding French heavyweights Marseille to a draw last weekend through goals from Dennis Cirkin and Adil Aouchiche.
Cardiff City vs. Sunderland Head to head
In the previous 40 meetings between these two teams, Cardiff have claimed 17 victories while Sunderland have won 16, and they have drawn in seven. Sunderland have scored 51 goals and conceded 57 in the process.
-
13/01/2018Cardiff City4Sunderland0Championship
-
05/11/2022Sunderland0Cardiff City1Championship
-
10/04/2023Cardiff City0Sunderland1Championship
-
24/09/2023Sunderland0Cardiff City1Championship
-
29/03/2024Cardiff City0Sunderland2Championship
Cardiff City Team News
After finding the back of the net in the 2-0 victory over Bristol Rovers last weekend, Joe Ralls should start in midfield for Cardiff this weekend.
Former Arsenal star Ramsey will be hoping to join the Englishman in the middle of the park, where Greece international Manolis Siopis is also likely to operate.
Cardiff City's Last 5 Matches
-
21/07/2024Hamburg0Cardiff City3Club Friendlies
-
23/07/2024Mamelodi Sundowns1Cardiff City1Club Friendlies
-
25/07/2024Cardiff City1Hertha Berlin1Club Friendlies
-
31/07/2024Cardiff City2Reading1Club Friendlies
-
03/08/2024Bristol Rovers0Cardiff City2Club Friendlies
Sunderland Team News
Sunderland remain without the services of Jenson Seelt for the start of the campaign, with the centre-back sustaining a serious injury in early March.
The visitors do not boast a recognised senior striker within their ranks, so 19-year-old Spaniard Eliezer Mayenda is expected to lead the line for the Black Cats here.
Sunderland's Last 5 Matches
-
19/07/2024Nottingham Forest1Sunderland1Club Friendlies
-
21/07/2024Eldense1Sunderland2Club Friendlies
-
27/07/2024Blackpool0Sunderland1Club Friendlies
-
30/07/2024Sunderland1Bradford City2Club Friendlies
-
03/08/2024Sunderland2Marseille2Club Friendlies
Cardiff City vs. Sunderland: Odds and Predictions
Main Prediction
Double Chance: Sunderland or X
Best Odds
1000% Super Multi Bonus
Up to 10 times (1000%) larger winnings on bets placed during Happy Hour
CLAIM BONUS
