Sunderland

Sunderland travel to Elland Road for a midweek Championship game hoping to put a dent in Leeds' automatic promotion hopes.

The home side sit third in the table, one point behind Ipswich and two behind leaders Leicester who also have a game in hand.

Sunderland remain 13th, a point ahead of 14th place Watford and two adrift of Bristol City in 12th who held the Black Cats to a scoreless draw at the weekend.

Last time the two sides met, Sunderland beat Leeds 1-0 through a Jobe goal.

What do you think will happen this time? Give us your general pre-match thoughts and predictions here.

We asked for your reaction to Sunderland's scoreless draw with Bristol City. Here are some of your comments:

Jim: I'll take a point, it's better than none!

Dave: Usual rubbish. No creativity. So many mislaid passes. Not a striker at the club bar Clarke. Simples. Get rid of Dreyfuss, he will be the ruination of the club.

George: DISGUSTING AND EMBARRASSING. No, not the football, the amount of litter blowing around the pitch. Unfortunately it seems to be a regular thing at the SoL. Sadly, all too reminiscent of our city centre.

Terry: At least we didn't lose! Unfortunate perhaps.

Richard: No centre forward, no goals. What a surprise! Five points from 30 should be alarming the owners. A change in football management is desperately required.

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland's interim head coach Mike Dodds has explained why Abdoullah Ba was left out of the squad against Bristol City.

In a post-match interview with BBC Radio Newcastle's commentator Nick Barnes, Dodds explained,. "I'll be honest with you, I think we want competition for places.

"I think, although Abdoullah will be disappointed, naturally, I think it's a huge positive that he was left out of the squad because he's going to have to react and be better than the current players that you could argue are maybe in his way.

"I'll have the same decision to make on Tuesday in terms of what the bench looks like. We don't pick the bench out of thin air. We think about who's going to change and this person.

"We knew Aji [Alese], we were going to give Aji minutes so we knew AJ was going to come back on the pitch.

"Listen, you can never predict your subs because as Monday has shown, things can happen that are out of your control but you're always trying to predict 'right, he's going to last x amount of time.' 'He's going to last x amount of time.'

"On this occasion Abdoullah's missed out."

You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds here.

Sunderland were held to a scoreless draw by Bristol City at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats had chances and hit the woodwork on multiple occasions but were unable to take their opportunities to take the lead.

The draw means Mike Dodds' side remain 13th in the Championship table.

What did you think of the performance and the result? Have your say here.

• Sunderland have won just one of their last eight home league games against Bristol City (D4 L3), a 2-0 win back in December 1994.

• Bristol City are looking to complete a league double over Sunderland for the first time since the 1991-92 campaign.

• Sunderland have lost seven of their last nine league games (W1 D1), conceding 16 goals across those losses.

• Bristol City have won each of their last two league games without conceding; the Robins last won three league games in a row in December, while they last did so without conceding in February 2020 under former manager Lee Johnson (run of four).

• 16-year-old Chris Rigg netted his second league goal of the season for Sunderland last time out – since 2004-05, the only players with more than two Championship goals while aged 16 are Ryan Sessegnon (5), Theo Walcott (4) and Jude Bellingham (4).

We asked for your thoughts ahead of Sunderland v Bristol City. Here are some of your comments:

Colin: After the 5-1 defeat to Blackburn, I can’t see anything but another loss. Score: 2-0 to Bristol City.

Steve: Given recent form and the disinterested attitude of the SAFC players, I cannot see anything but a Bristol win. I predict a score of 1-3.

David: Depends which Sunderland turns up. I hope we'll win 2-1.

Johnny: I can’t see anything more than a loss at the SoL to be honest. It’s hard to predict with this team. It just depends on what occurs on the day because we are constantly dictated on confidence. Bristol are one place higher than us and in better form than us. I think it will be 1-1.

Nigel: A nothing game in a season of wasted opportunity. Wouldn’t be surprised if we win or lose, such is our inconsistency this season. A clear reboot needed in the summer or risk losing further momentum next season.

Jeff: Sunderland are scared to play at home I can only see one result a comfortable win for Bristol City, but for some fans getting beaten every week is fine, this club deserves everything it gets.

Darren: My prediction is Sunderland 0-2 Bristol City. I don't see things improving unless we appoint a new manager before the season finishes.

Jacko: Bristol City are such a small club compared to Sunderland, but always seem to get a result against us. Maybe I feel it more being a Cats fan stuck down here in Bristol amongst them all. We have had a terrible few months, but feel we will have enough to see off City on Saturday.

Sunderland host Bristol City this weekend hoping to bounce back from the 5-1 loss against Blackburn Rovers on Bank Holiday Monday.

The teams are neck-and-neck in the Championship table with the visitors two points above the Black Cats sitting just above them in 12th place.

Bristol City have won their last two games but both clubs' seasons are effectively over with little chance of play-off contention and minimal threat of falling into the relegation battle either.

What are your pre-match thoughts and general predictions for Sunderland v Bristol City? Have your say here.

Image source, Getty Images

Following Sunderland's 5-1 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers, Marco Gabbiadini has spoken about the downturn in the club's fortunes since parting ways with Tony Mowbray.

"Sunderland could beat a lot of the teams around them [in the league table] because they're probably in a similar position to us in many cases. They're average and get it right some days but get it wrong other days.

"The problem is since we sacked Tony Mowbray, we've got it wrong far too many times.

"You look at the deficiencies in the squad which we've talked about for ages. We haven't got a forward who we can trust to play, so [Mike Dodds] is having to play one of our better midfielders [Jobe] in that position, but it doesn't work like what happened on Monday, he looks toothless as well. We never got the ball to him.

"At least Rigg, Aouchiche and Ba, at least they passed the ball to Bellingham on Friday in the Cardiff game. They got the ball to the forward who made good runs and made himself available, and we got further up the field and did some damage.

"We just didn't take control of the game at any stage on Monday. It was terrible. Terrible. That's where we've been heading for weeks and months really."

You can hear more analysis from Marco on Total Sport.

We asked for your thoughts after Sunderland's heavy loss to Blackburn Rovers. Here are some of your comments:

Colin: Words fail me. We get a decent result against Cardiff and the next game come up with this dross, but nothing surprises me about this club anymore.

Stephen: Shameful as Saturday's thrashing by Blackburn was not entirely a surprise. All the good work of last season has been undone by failure to address glaring deficiencies in the squad of players. The sacking of a competent head coach in Tony Mowbray and replacement with Mike Beale and then Mike Dodds has been a disaster.

Dave: Need a total shake-up. All young players sounds great except you need three or four older, wiser players to steady everything. Chopping and changing managers is not helping. Hopefully we steady and regroup for next season.

Lee: KLD, Speakman, Dodds and the players should all hang their heads in shame. 5-1 at home against a team that's 19th in the league - SHOCKING! No excuse, it's just pathetic! I am definitely not renewing my season ticket to watch this garbage. We are a laughing stock… AGAIN.

Johnny: Another defeat. It seems inevitable that whenever we concede, our heads immediately drop which is to be expected in such a young, inexperienced side. Every week it’s the same story; we start off well with lots of chances, then we make one mistake and the opponents are given full control over the game. We need a striker and we need more experience.

The Championship's top goalscorer Sammie Szmodics bagged a first-half double at Sunderland to lead Blackburn to their first win under boss John Eustace.

Rovers made a big stride away from the relegation morass, with Ryan Hedges, Tyrhys Dolan and Andrew Moran adding three more in the second half. Chris Rigg scored a consolation for the dismal Black Cats.

Blackburn had gone 10 games without a victory since Eustace took over from Jon Dahl Tomasson, and had only managed four goals in their previous six games, but they found a disinterested Sunderland, who have won just one of their past nine, easy pickings at the Stadium of Light.

With the possibility of a play-off place a distant memory and safety virtually certain, the home side could not build on their Good Friday success at Cardiff, their first win under interim manager Mike Dodds.

Blackburn had not won an away match since November 25, a run of 10 games that had contributed to their slide towards the drop zone, but they broke that run in fine style and could easily have scored more.

What did you think of the performance, the result and what it means at this stage of the season? Have your say here.

Sunderland Head Coach Mike Dodds has praised his Sunderland side for their "thoroughly professional" performance in their first win in nearly seven weeks.

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes, Dodds said: "The whole group deserve a lot of credit. I think it was a thoroughly professional performance.

"I think we could've scored more goals, we got in some really good areas."

Sunderland's 2-0 win over Cardiff City was their first win away from home since Boxing Day and their first back-to-back clean sheets since October.

"The facts are the facts. We had 18 shots on goal against a team which I think are really well coached and organised.

"I think the [first] goal was a big goal psychologically because what you saw after the goal is that they settled down."

Today's win was Sunderland's first match since a goalless draw to QPR two weeks ago.

"The QPR game was a poor performance but I thought there was a level of anxiety and nervousness in the performance.

"So I think one result is going to take us in a completely different direction. I hope that's the case.

"But I also thought that if we scored first it would settle the group down - and it really did. I thought we were excellent with the ball."

You can listen to the full interview with Mike Dodds here.

Sunderland have won their first game in almost seven weeks after beating Cardiff City 2 - 0 in the Welsh capital.

Jobe won a penalty for the Black Cats in the twelfth minute and Aouchiche converted it for his first goal since November.

Fifteen minutes later the pair teamed up again, this time Aouchiche provided the assist to Jobe's goal.

What did you think of Sunderland's performance today? Have your say here.

We asked for your comments ahead Sunderland's two matchdays across Easter weekend.

Here's what you had to say:

Paul: I predict another draw against Cardiff and hopefully a win against Blackburn. We sure need a win to boost morale. If we lose I can actually see us heading south to League One again.

Ian: I think Sunderland will get four points from the next two games.

Mark: Well what a visionary Speakman is for changing manager... not! Absolute shower at the moment. Love to see the lads dig out a result. Speakman has some serious questions to find answers for.

Terry: Before Xmas I thought Sunderland were one of the favourites to get promoted but then the whole structure fell apart. Mowbray was sacked, we employed a completely useless manager, and failed to sign a centre forward. As a result we have collapsed down the table. The season finished for us in December.

Colin: This season is done. Whatever the result, it makes little difference.

Eoin: I went to the match against QPR and honestly it was the worst football match I've ever seen. This team lacks direction. They're a young side and need that bit of guidance. The fans are good when they get behind the team but currently it is difficult to get behind them when they're playing such horrible football. Need to go back to basics.

Do you agree? Have your say on Sunderland at any time by clicking here.

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland Head Coach Mike Dodds has spoken to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes ahead of this weekend's two games against Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers.

High on the agenda was an update on the club's long injury list.

"Corry [Evans] has been training full contact now so he's back with the group.

"Aji [Alese] played some minutes for the U21s the other night so he's been back training.

"Bradley [Dack] is available, he's been training. So to have people like that back in the group is hugely valuable for everyone."

It's not all good news for Dodds, with three key players still out on the sidelines.

"Jack [Clarke] is still a question mark at the moment unfortunately. We were hoping based on his history that that would be quicker than the prognosis but unfortunately that's not the case.

"He's out on the grass, he's running, but I don't think he'll be available at the weekend.

"Rusyn is a real strange one because he took a contact injury against Southampton and he came out and trained maybe the Tuesday afterwards and complained about some issues with his calf.

"Based on the specialists, they still think he'll be out for a couple of weeks."

Jenson Seelt picked up a knee injury during Sunderland's defeat to Southampton, and and will now be out for six to nine months.

"I feel for Jenson because just when he was going to get his opportunity, this happens, but sometimes these things happen for young footballers and it's going to be a challenge for him."

Regarding his own future at the club, Dodds said:

"The original conversation was to take the team until the end of the season but if we find the ideal candidate between now and then we'll let you know.

"I'm comfortable with whatever the outcome is.

"My priority is winning games of football. I'm not thinking about who the next Head Coach is with all due respect to that person. We need a result and we need a result really quickly."

You can listen to the full interview here.

In this new series available on BBC Sounds, the BBC's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes sits down with three footballing personalities from the north east to openly discuss prostate cancer.

In the third episode, Gary Bennett, Geoff Thompson and Paul Ferris discuss the events, good and bad, after treatment.

They also try to answer the question: how can we get more men to talk openly about prostate cancer?

You can listen to the episode here.

With Easter weekend coming up and two matches in four days, we want to know how you think Sunderland will get on.

The Black Cats face Cardiff on Friday at 3pm. Sitting just one place above Sunderland in the table, the Bluebirds won the reverse fixture back in September.

On Monday, Sunderland host Blackburn Rovers. The former Premier League champions haven't won a game in their last nine fixtures in all competitions.

Can Mike Dodds get his first win during this latest spell in charge? Have your say here.