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Sunderland v Burton Albion
Sky Bet League One
Stadium of Light
Kick-Off: 7.00pm - Tuesday 1st December 2020
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!
When Andrew Taylor hung up his boots in September 2019 after thirteen years as a professional footballer, he wouldn’t have expected to take temporary charge of the first team just over a year later.
The Hartlepool-born ex-England U21 international only joined Phil Parkinson’s backroom staff in November 2019 in what was his first coaching role, and it will be interesting to see what he will do differently from the man who brought him to the club as Sunderland are without a win in five games.
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After finishing mid-table last season, Jake Buxton would have hoping for a play-off push this season but due to the financial issues at the club caused by the ongoing crises, means this is a tall order.
Only two wins this season means The Brewers find themselves already three points adrift of safety as they sit 22nd in League One, having also played a game more than their counterparts in the relegation zone.
Hope was rekindled last time out when Burton threw the form book out of the window to defeat promotion favourites Charlton Athletic 4-2 at the Pirelli Stadium so will travel north with confidence.
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Sunderland Team News
After weeks of spinning the wheel of Phil Parkinson, we now second guess what one of his coaches may do with the squad at his disposal.
With the late hour of the decision in terms of time leading up to kick-off, we can probably assume that it may be a system and style that has already been prepared since our draw at Fleetwood on Friday night.
Possible XI: Lee Burge, Connor McLaughlin, Bailey Wright, Tom Flanagan, Luke O’Nien, Grant Leadbitter, Josh Scowen, Denver Hume; Chris Maguire, Will Grigg, Charlie Wyke
Burton Albion Team News
Last week’s win over Charlton will have lifted manager Jake Buxton’s spirits and so will the fact he has virtually a fully fit squad to pick from for almost the first time this season.
Only summer signing Kane Hemmings is ruled out after taking a knock during the warm-up earlier in November ahead of facing Hull City but it will be tempting for the manager to put out the same XI after such an impressive performance last time out.
Possible XI: O’Hara, Brayford, Hughes, Bostwick, Daniel, Quinn, Gilligan, Edwards, Powell, Vernam, Akins
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Last Time We Met... at the Stadium of Light
Tuesday 26th November 2019: Sky Bet League One
Sunderland 1 - 2 Burton Albion (McGeady 19’ (pen) - Edwards 20’, Boyce 68’)
Sunderland: Burge, C. McLaughlin (Maguire), Willis, Lynch, Hume, Watmore, Leadbitter (Kimpioka), Power, McGeady, O’Nien, Grigg Substitutes not used: J. McLaughlin, De Bock, Flanagan, Ozturk, Sammut
Burton Albion: O’Hara, Nartey (Daniel), Wallace, Quinn, O’Toole, Buxton, Sarkic (Templeton), Edwards, Akins, Fraser, Boyce (Brayford) Substitutes not used: Garratt, Anderson, Sbarra, Beardsley
Attendance: 26,538
Match Betting
The bookies see this as a one-horse race despite the vacancy in the hot seat at the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland at 8/15 and an away victory priced at 5/1 and the draw 16/5.
For a correct score, a victory to Sunderland with the only goal of the game is the favourite at 11/2, and a Sunderland victory by a comfortable margin such as 2-0 is 6/1 with a 3-0 at a tempting 10/1. Burton to get the only goal of the game and win 1-0 is priced at 14/1.
After starting last time out, Charlie Wyke and Danny Graham are favourite to bag the first goal for Sunderland at 3/1 and 4/1 respectively.
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Match Prediction
I’d like to think the events of the past few days have shown the players that a new regime is on the way, and they once again start with a clean slate at Sunderland. Regardless of a temporary manager I think some of the players will be out to prove a point.
Sunderland 2 - 0 Burton Albion