(An Embarrassingly Vague) Sunderland vs. Leeds Preview

Sunderland team news

This is a tough one to call, really. Gus Poyet has admitted there will be changes but just what they will be is less clear.

One full back, probably Santiago Vergini will be rested, with the indications being that either Will Buckley or Charis Mavrias will deputise. In the centre of defence, you'd probably expect Wes Brown to get a rest and Sebastian Coates to play given the latter can't play in the next league game.

In midfield, Lee Cattermole is injured, but Liam Bridcutt is back.

It's likely to be a bit of a mix of who needs to play replacing those who need a rest.

Leeds team news

Leeds United boss Neil Redfearn has also hinted at a lot of squad rotation, but hasn't even remotely suggested what it will be. Who knows really. Where would you be without our attention to detail, eh?

Probably line-up

Key match-up: Ummmmmm

Well, it's rather hard to say without having the faintest idea who will be playing for either side. Pesky details.

Recent form: LLDLL

Loss: Ipswich 4-1 Leeds (Antenucci)

Loss: Leeds 0-1 Fulham

Draw: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds (Sharp)

Loss: Leeds 0-2 Wigan

Loss: Derby 2-0 Leeds

Last time around: Sunderland 2-0 Leeds (26/12/2006)

Gus Poyet, the then Leeds assistant manager, was sent from the touchline for outright cheating when he kicked a second ball onto the pitch to stop a Sunderland counter attack. There was no stopping the Lads that day, though, as goals from David Connolly and Grant Leadbitter saw Roy Keane's eventual champions home.

The ref: Ummmm

Good question. It doesn't seem to have been announced anywhere, but I presume they haven't forgotten. Someone will turn up, I'm sure.

What the managers said

Gus Poyet

It's not going to be an experiment or playing a weakened side. I'm going to try to change not too many.

But when I mean not too many, I mean I'm going to try to play the best team I can play from the first-team squad.

There's players who've been playing with some pain and we need to be careful. We need to be careful because we don't want to lose any players for next week. But we want to put the best team out that we can.

Neil Redfearn

It could be a springboard to get the season back on track.

It is one of those games where, if you do well and get a result it helps with everything.

Roker Report predicts

Leeds don't seem to score many, and Sunderland certainly don't. It's tough to see too many goals either way, but I think - hope - Sunderland will have enough to win it. I'll plump for a solid 2-0 win.