Both Sunderland and Fulham will look to register their first points of the new season when they square up against each other on Sunday afternoon.
Having suffered a defeat in matchday 1, both Sunderland and Fulham will be desperate to get their season back on track with a win when they meet at the Stadium of Light.
The home team punched above their weight to secure a 7th-placed finish in their first-ever season back in the Premier League. They are hoping to build on it this time around. However, they didn’t have the best of starts as they lost 2-1 to Ipswich Town.
Despite dominating proceedings, they couldn’t make the most of it, and a 90th-minute strike by Jack Clarke gave Ipswich all three points. The Black Cats will be hoping they can put up a much improved performance in front of their own fans.
Meanwhile, the Cottagers could only secure an 11th-place finish last time out. They will be hoping to push for a European spot under new boss Alvaro Arbelo. Fulham kicked off the new campaign with a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Chelsea at home.
While they started the campaign with a defeat, the Cottagers did show a lot of promise. They will be heading into this fixture on the back of a dominant 3-0 win over AFC Wimbledon in the second round of the EFL Cup. Fulham will be confident of their chances and will certainly make life difficult for the Black Cats. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Sunderland
The home team will be without the services of Simon Adingra because of a foot injury. Apart from him, everyone else should be available for selection.
The Black Cats will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Robin Roefs will continue in goal. Thomas Meunier and Reinildo Mandava should feature as the full-backs. In the heart of the defence, Luke O’Nien should continue to partner Daniel Ballard.
Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki will form the double pivot in midfield. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure they dominate the ball.
Enzo Le Fee will feature as the attacking midfielder with Trai Hume and Nilson Angulo taking charge on the flanks. The trio will be the main creative outlets for Sunderland, while Brian Brobbey will continue to lead the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Meunier, O’Nien, Ballard, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Hume, Le Fee, Angulo; Brobbey
Fulham
Alvaro Arbeloa remains without the services of Tom Cairney because of a knee injury. Apart from him, everyone else is available to feature in this fixture.
The former Real Madrid manager’s team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Bernd Leno in goal. Timothy Castagne and Antonee Robinson will feature as the full-backs for the away team.
Joachim Andersen should return to the starting XI after serving a suspension last time out. He will partner Calvin Bassey in the heart of the defence.
Sander Berge and Alex Iwobi could be the two midfielders who will protect the defence and look to control the tempo of the game. Meanwhile, Oscar Bobb and Cesar Palacios are likely to feature out wide on the flanks.
Josh King will take up the number ten role in behind star striker Gonzalo Garcia, who will look to build on his impressive start to the season.
Probable lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Iwobi; Bobb, King, Palacios; Garcia
Key Stats
- Fulham have won four out of their last eight visits to the Stadium of Light, having suffered a defeat just once.
- Garcia became the first Fulham player to score on his debut since 2014 after finding the back of the net against Chelsea.
- The Cottagers did a double over the Black Cats last season. They won 1-0 at home and 3-1 away.
- Fulham haven’t lost any of their last five games against Sunderland in all competitions.
- The Black Cats’ last win over Fulham came back in December 2017 when both teams were competing in the Championship.
Player to Watch
Gonzalo Garcia
The 22-year-old Real Madrid graduate is off to a flying start at his new club Fulham. Arbeloa pushed very hard to acquire his services as he was confident that Garcia could become their main man up top. So far, the Spanish striker hasn’t disappointed as he has found the back of the net in their first two games.
Given the kind of start he has had to the new season, the 22-year-old will look to add to his tally and help his team secure all three points at the Stadium of Light.
