Sunderland

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Millwall are looking to continue their impressive run of form when they welcome Championship leaders Sunderland to The Den on Saturday.

The Lions are unbeaten in their last seven games (W4 D3), while the Black Cats are undefeated in eight (W4 D4) but have drawn three on the bounce.

• Millwall have lost just one of their last seven league games against Sunderland (W2 D4) despite both scoring and conceding eight goals during that run.

• Sunderland have won just one of their last 12 away league games against Millwall (D5 L6). Each of the last three such matches between the pair at the Den have finished 1-1.

• Millwall have won their last three home league games, winning all three 1-0. They last won four in a row at The Den in October 2022, while they last did so with a clean sheet each time in March 2010 in League One.

• Sunderland have picked up 31 points in 15 Championship games this season (W9 D4 L2), their best start to a season at this level since 1998-99 (also 31 points) when they eventually won the league.

• Millwall's Casper De Norre is the only Championship player this season to make both 30+ tackles (31) and 30+ interceptions (30).

Image source, Rex Features

Former Sunderland head coach Michael Beale has joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq as Steven Gerrard’s assistant manager.

The 44-year-old worked under Gerrard at Rangers between 2018 and 2021 and was part of the coaching team that guided them to the Scottish Premiership title in the 2020-21 season.

Beale followed Gerrard to Aston Villa in November 2021 before becoming QPR head coach at the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

With QPR seventh in the Championship at the end of November 2022, Beale then left to return to Rangers as manager.

He was sacked in October 2023 after failing to win a trophy and suffering three defeats in the first seven matches of the 2023-24 season.

Beale was appointed by Sunderland in December 2023 but only had a brief stint in charge and was sacked after just 12 games in February having won four, drawn two and lost six.

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The three Sunderland players who were called up for senior international duty have all enjoyed a very successful week.

Trai Hume and Dan Ballard were at the heart of the Northern Ireland defence for their 2-0 win at home to Belarus and the 2-2 draw in Luxembourg.

Ballard was also on the scoresheet against Belarus as the Black Cats duo helped their country win promotion to League B of the Nations League after winning Group C3.

Chris Mepham didn't play any minutes but was part of the Wales squad that pulled off a remarkable return to the Nations League's top tier following a 0-0 draw in Turkey and 4-1 win against Iceland in Cardiff.

League leaders Sunderland return to Championship action when they visit in-form Millwall on Saturday afternoon.

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There are three Sunderland players who have been called up for senior international duty this week:

• Trai Hume and Dan Ballard for Northern Ireland

• Chris Mepham for Wales

Jobe Bellingham has been called-up by England Under-21s for the games against Spain and the Netherlands while Leo Hjelde, Milan Aleksic and Ben Metcalf have been chosen for Finland, Serbia and Northern Ireland under-21 duty respectively.

You can keep up to date with how they are getting on using our scores and fixtures list as well as following Wales and Northern Ireland's matches live on the BBC Sport website and Radio 5 Live.

Sunderland flew into a 2-0 lead against Coventry City on Saturday but ultimately had to settle for a point - their third Championship draw on the spin.

So, where did it wrong for the league leaders?

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, former Black Cats defender Gary Bennett said: "The first 45 minutes, Sunderland were very, very good.

"They went into half-time 2-0 up, could have been three or four. Dominated the game, managed the game, controlled it.

"Came out the second half - well they didn't come out.

"Once Coventry got that goal to make it 2-1, it seemed as though we just lost our way. Picking up a couple of injuries didn't help, a couple of yellow cards didn't help.

"We were looking for a character, leadership. I just thought we lost our direction.

"Were we too comfortable? Did we start getting a little bit sloppy? I think we did."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Sunderland forward Jobe Bellingham has been called up to the England Under-21s for the first time.

The 19-year-old, who is the younger brother of England and Real Madrid star Jude, has represented England at every level from Under-16 to Under-21.

Bellingham, who has scored twice this season and started 13 of Sunderland's 14 Championship fixtures, could feature in games against Spain (15 November) and the Netherlands (18 November).

Image source, Rex Features

Analysis - Adam Lanigan, BBC Sport England

So another game ticks by for Sunderland, and the Black Cats remain top of the Championship.

Given that they have been in that position since 1 October, are they starting to feel comfortable up there?

On the face of it, successive goalless draws at QPR and Preston North End feel disappointing, but that is a sign of how well they have done since Regis Le Bris arrived in the summer.

Last night, they certainly deserved no more than a draw at Deepdale and needed to show lots of defensive resolve, some good goalkeeping from stand-in Simon Moore and a little bit of luck to keep Preston at bay.

But show me a successful side that does not have to do those things to keep picking up results.

As things stand, Sunderland have the joint-most points at home (16) and the joint-most on their travels (14) and are equal with Sheffield United for clean sheets (nine). Their record of 23 goals is also the joint-best in the Championship with mid-table Norwich City.

All those statistics line up the fact that the Wearsiders are not top of the the league by fluke or overly reliant on one thing or another.

This Championship does not look like it is going to throw up sides pushing 95, 100 points like Leicester City and Burnley in the last two seasons, so in a tighter, more equal division, the Black Cats are showing enough characteristics to remain right in the mix.

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Coventry City have sacked manager Mark Robins two days before their trip to league leaders Sunderland.

The Sky Blues were beaten 2-1 by Derby County on Wednesday night and find themselves 17th in the Championship table.

Robins was appointed Coventry manager for a second time in 2017 and was the longest-serving manager in the Championship.

He guided them from League Two into the second tier and reached the play-off final in 2023 and FA Cup semi-finals last term.

Coventry had won their previous two league matches prior to their loss to the Rams and seemed to be finding form after a sluggish start to the campaign.

The Sky Blues will be led by first-team coach Rhys Carr for Saturday's game at the Stadium of Light.

Image source, Rex Features

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris says he is happy with a point after a "tough" trip to Deepdale resulted in their second 0-0 draw in four days.

The Black Cats struggled to get into the match with Preston North End on Wednesday as the team towards the bottom of the Championship proved dominant in the first half.

"It was another tough away game against a strong team. We struggled during the first half to apply a high pressure and we conceded many situations," Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle.

Le Bris made changes to his frontline in the 62nd minute, introducing Romaine Mundle and Patrick Roberts.

The closest the pair came to scoring was Roberts' injury-time effort to force Preston keeper Freddie Woodman into a save, but Le Bris was pleased with their impact.

"During the second half, it was much better. We changed the structure and the energy was better with the substitutions," he added.

"It wasn't enough to score but at the end, it's a good point."

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Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has confirmed that teenage midfielder Chris Rigg and defender Dan Ballard are set to return to the squad for their Wednesday night trip to Preston North End having recovered from their respective injuries.

Rigg missed the goalless draw at Queens Park Rangers last Saturday with a chest issue but Le Bris says the 17-year-old is "okay" and added Ballard should also be available after missing seven games with an ankle problem.

However, with goalkeeper Anthony Patterson still an injury doubt and midfielder Jobe Bellingham suspended after being red carded at Loftus Road, Le Bris has been speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle about how squad rotation will begin to play its part.

"I am confident with the options we have. We will have to create something new but, with the culture we have now, it's not a problem," he said.

"We will have to adjust, to manage probably the first, the second, the third game to find the right balance but that's life.

"We can't think we can play with 11 or 12 players the whole season, it's just normal."

While fans may see some changes in the starting line-up, the Frenchman has confirmed the team's formation will remain the same.

"We built a system, strong foundations, and I don't want to change the structure."

Image source, BBC Sport

Sunderland are looking to return to winning ways when they visit Preston on Wednesday night following a 0-0 draw at QPR at the weekend. The Black Cats are top of the Championship and unbeaten in six games (W4, D2).

Meanwhile, the Lilywhites are without a win in three (D2, L1) and are just two points above the relegation zone before the midweek Championship fixtures.

• Preston North End have lost two of their past three league games against Sunderland (W1), as many as in their previous 14 meetings (W6, D6, L2).

• Sunderland have lost three of their past five league visits to Deepdale (W1, D1), including a 2-1 defeat in August 2023.

• At Deepdale, Preston are unbeaten in their past 21 league games in midweek (W10, D11) - only Manchester City are enjoying a longer ongoing such run in the top four tiers of English football (49 games unbeaten).

• Sunderland have won both their midweek league games so far this season and could win three in a row for the first time since February 2023.

• Preston manager Paul Heckingbottom is unbeaten in five previous encounters with Sunderland in the EFL (W4, D1). Only against Birmingham (P6, W4, D2) has he faced a side more often without losing.