Match Preview: Rochdale v Sunderland

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Rochdale v Sunderland

Sky Bet League One

Crown Oil Arena

Kick-Off: 7.45pm - Tuesday 27th October, 2020

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Match Coverage

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage available via www.safc.com

Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Newcastle (not online)

Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com!

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After a first defeat of the season what type of opposition would be high on Phil Parkinson’s wish list to bounce back at the first time of asking?

I’d imagine one that hasn’t picked up a solitary point against Sunderland in four times of asking in League One. And, three days after a bad day at the office, that’s exactly what we face.

It does, however, have the feeling of a potential banana skin.

Rochdale did well to avoid relegation last season and have got off to a solid start this year after winning three and losing four of the first eight. Brian Barry-Murphy’s side are also on a good run after winning the last two games which have both been away from home against Shrewsbury Town and Burton Albion.

With Rochdale looking to continue their good run of form and Sunderland aiming to return to winning ways, both have a point to prove in collecting all three points.

Photo by Robert Smith/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Sunderland Team News

Despite vociferous calls to make multiple changes to the line-up, Phil Parkinson does not have a track record of changing things when there’s a bump in the road.

Will Grant Leadbitter be rested? Will we see Tom Flanagan come back into the fold to replace Luke O’Nien? Will we see another rotation upfront? All potential options, and it’s highly possible the Sunderland manager will ignore all of those that aren’t enforced.

Time will tell.

Possible XI: Lee Burge, Jordan Willis, Bailey Wright, Tom Flanagan; Lynden Gooch, Grant Leadbitter, Max Power (c), Denver Hume; Josh Scowen, Chris Maguire, Charlie Wyke

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Rochdale Team News

Brian Barry-Murphy appears to have the opposite issue to his Sunderland counterpart in that his strength in depth means he is struggling to make changes from last time out. Considering the last fixture ended in a 2-1 victory at Shrewsbury Town, we can probably expect to see the same side face Sunderland.

Possible XI: Bazunu, Keohane, Roberts, O’Connell, Bola; Newby, Ryan, Morley, Lund, Rathbone; Beesley

Photo by James Baylis - AMA/Getty Images

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Last Time We Met... at Rochdale

Saturday 20th August 2019: Sky Bet League One

Rochdale 1-2 Sunderland (Camps 33’ - McGeady 28’, Wyke 56’)

Sunderland: J. McLaughlin, O’Nien, Ozturk, Willis, C. McLaughlin; Gooch (Grigg), Power (McGeouch), Leadbitter, McGeady; Maguire (Embleton), Wyke. Substitutes not used: Burge, Hume, Flanagan, Dobson

Rochdale: Sanchez, Matheson, Norrington-Davies, Dooley, O’Connell; McNulty, Williams (Done), Morley (Ryan); Henderson, Camps, Rathbone (Andrew) Substitutes not used: Wade, Magloire, Delaney, Keohane

Attendance: 5,258

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Match Betting

The bookmakers appear to think the defeat last time out for Sunderland was just a blip, and have the away side at 6/10 with a Rochdale win on offer at 24/5.

For a correct score, a 1-0 victory for Sunderland and a 1-1 are joint favourite at 11/2 and a tight 1-0 home victory is on offer at 12/1.

Despite not starting the last couple of games, Danny Graham is still favourite to open the scoring for Sunderland and is 10/3, closely followed by Chris Maguire at 7/2 and Charlie Wyke at 4/1.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images

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Match Prediction

Rochdale are on a run, and we have the potential to be nervous not to lose two on the bounce. I’m going for a close draw in this one.

Rochdale 1 - 1 Sunderland