Sunderland and Millwall face off at the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon in a match that could push either club into the Championship playoff places with kickoff at 5 pm.
Given the circumstances surrounding the start of his reign—beating Rotherham United 3-0 on his Sunderland debut—Tony Mowbray would have been quietly confident about the Black Cats’ chances of further derby delight against Middlesbrough.
However, a 1-0 loss at the Riverside Stadium dealt a blow to that positivity, and Ross Stewart’s injury in the warm-up put an even greater dent in Mowbray’s plans for an upset.
The new manager will now look for a reaction from a team that, despite its poor form at home, can take positives from its first three league games given the circumstances surrounding its change in leadership.
Gary Rowett’s Millwall side has gone three games without a win in the Championship, but they beat Cardiff City 2-0 last time to move two points clear of their opponents and the relegation zone.
Sitting one point behind Sunderland ahead of Saturday’s fixture, Rowett will be content with the current situation, having ended their wait for their first clean sheet since the season’s opening weekend.
With three goals this season, defender Charlie Cresswell is proving to be just as effective at scoring as he is at keeping the ball out of the net.
Sunderland vs Millwall Head to Head
Both sides have two games against each other without any wins and two draws. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Middlesbrough 1-0 Sunderland
- Sunderland 3-0 Rotherham
- Sunderland 0-1 Norwich City
- Stoke City 0-1 Sunderland
Away
- Millwall 2-0 Cardiff City
- Burnley 2-0 Millwall
- Millwall 0-1 Reading
- Norwich City 2-0 Millwall
Sunderland Team News
Absent for the remainder of the year, Stewart is expected to be replaced in the lineup by Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo. Although Leon Dajaku is back in contention after injury, the German will most likely remain on the bench.
Millwall Team News
In place of Shaun Hutchinson, who was withdrawn through injury last time out, Cresswell will return to the Millwall XI. Benik Afobe’s first campaign goal should also earn him a recall ahead of Tom Bradshaw.
Prediction and Odds
The end of a losing streak can inspire renewed optimism, but we still expect Sunderland to win this match by the odd goal in three, with a late goal being scored.
- Home Win
- Correct Score: 2-1
- Both Teams to Score
