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When it gets to the tail-end of the season there are those clubs at the top and bottom of the table that have something to play for, and there are those in the middle that have literally nothing.
Stoke City are lodged firmly in the mid-table and have nothing to fear in terms of relegation. So will they roll over at the Britannia and let Big Sam’s Black Cats claim three points?
History suggests that to be unlikely, with the last six encounters in the Potteries ending in one win for Sunderland and two draws, with the remaining games won by Stoke. Overall Sunderland have had the best of recent encounters, winning three and drawing two of the last six.
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