Greetings from Read Sunderland! I’m Chris Sparks, and I am here to inform all you Geordies of what to expect when you make the short trip to the Stadium of Light for the first Tyne-Wear derby of the season this Sunday.
Recently, you’ve had your fair share of good Derby moments, but what is your favourite all-time Derby moment?
Personally, my favourite derby moment was the first win under Paolo Di Canio, the win was very unexpected and emphatic for a Sunderland side who for the majority of the season had been woeful.
If you could place one Sunderland player from the past in your current team, who would it be and why?
It has to be Kevin Phillips, one of the most natural goalscorers to grace the premier league and by far Sunderland’s best player in recent history. A fit and firing Kevin Phillips was like having an extra man on your team and I think he would be the one who would have made the difference on Sunday.
Potentially a controversial one – Would you take any Newcastle players at the Stadium of Light? If so, who and why?
Georgino Wijnaldum without a doubt. You have got a very good player on your hands in the Dutchman and I still scratch my head as to why Dick Advocaat did not try and sign him when the team is crying out for midfield creativity and a goal threat.
Are there any rising stars at Sunderland that we should be keeping an eye on?
Duncan Watmore and Jordan Pickford are both young Englishmen with huge potential. Watmore has produced the goods both for the England under-21s and Sunderland, whilst Pickford is having a superb season on loan at Preston North End.
Who is your most important player(s)?
We will never be a team that will score a lot of goals but in the past (apart from the entirety of this season), Sunderland have prided themselves on being a well-organised team who defend a lot. This makes Lee Cattermole and Yann M’Vila our main men. the midfield duo can both pick out a pass and time a tackle to perfection and will be vital on Sunday.
What do you reckon will be the key battle on Sunday?
Yann M’Vila and Georgino Wijnaldum. By far either clubs best players and they will be a lot of stamina needed by both men who will likely be in a box-to-box role.
Your score prediction and expected line-up.
Pantilimon, Jones, O’Shea, Kaboul, Yedlin, Lens, Cattermole, M’Vila, Borini, Defoe, Fletcher.
I think and hope that Sunderland will scrape this game. I don’t think it will be a great game for the neutral wth Sunderland stealing the win by one goal to nil.
