Last time out...

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Current standings...

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How the points are awarded...

Just a quick reminder on how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:

• Correct score = 3 points
• Correct outcome (but not correct score) = 1 point
• Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = 1 point
• Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting = to be decided

We also have our League One predictions here that went out on the site before the season began. We’ll keep an eye on these as we go along because, at the end of the season, this will come back into play when each correctly placed side adds five points to that person’s tally.

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This week’s predictions...

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Explain yourself...

Malcolm Dugdale says...

Sunderland 2-1 Oldham Athletic

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Elliot Embleton

Though we are likely to play a very changed team, Elliot hasn’t had a hell of a lot of minutes of late. This seems partly due to the rise in form of Pritchard, but maybe also due to the type of teams we have played and the tactics employed.

I’m expecting Embo to start and maybe even captain a young but hungry side, who will hopefully have enough to see off an Oldham team who you would hope will give us a good game but won’t quite have enough.

My desire is we can use the game for minutes for the lesser-played seniors who do turn out, but it will be more of a trials game for many of our young fringe prospects.

If we go out to Oldham tonight, frankly I couldn’t give a hoot. More games = more risk of injuries, and we don’t have any breathing space in the physio room as it is. Use the game for what we need and move on, and if we win, good stuff.

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Matthew Foster says...

Sunderland 3-1 Oldham Athletic

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Elliot Embleton

If it wasn't for the desire not to lose to League Two opposition (again), I couldn't really care about getting knocked out of this competition. We'll make changes, and hopefully, we see some of the young ones impressing to try and take advantage of the current injury list.

Comfortable win, move on to the next round, and set ourselves up for this weekend's tough encounter.

Photo by Will Matthews/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Will Jones says...

Sunderland 2-1 Oldham Athletic

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Will Harris

We all believe that there will be a large turnover in this competition come friendly.

As stated in the last pod, this is a game to which any player not in the squad at the weekend has a chance to show themselves off, including Arby. A player who is yet to make his league debut.

Players who can perform well against lower league 2 opposition when surrounded by similar players are ones that should be able to step into the first team squad when required. It’s a strangely exciting game in this respect and one I still expect a win from despite the high turnover.

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Martin Wanless says...

Sunderland 3-0 Oldham Athletic

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Will Harris

Given the injuries, we have at present, plus a massive game against Oxford on Saturday, I would expect a much-changed team from Lee Johnson tonight, with Will Harris leading the line.

He's been in great form for the under 23s this season and was preferred off the bench to O'Brien against Cambridge. He'll surely be in the starting XI against Oldham, so I'm going for him to get the first in a 3-0 win.

Photo by Will Matthews/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Chris Wynn says...

Sunderland 2-0 Oldham Athletic

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden O’Brien

Oldham have no manager and are in the drop zone in League Two, so it should be a comfortable night, right? It’s the start of a huge month, where December has eight games and by the time the new year comes around the table could look very different.

So, hopefully, we’ll kick off with a routine win.

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