Roker Report Score Predictions: Do we back Sunderland to keep the run going against Fleetwood?

Last Time Out...

For the second game running Matthew picked up three points and now finds himself only a point behind leader Jack. Everyone else picked up a point for the Sunderland victory, but as Grant Leadbitter didn’t feature on any prediction for first goalscorer, we didn’t have any bonus points this week.

We’ll let our panel explain why they all think Simon Grayson is to resume his habit of suffering miserable evenings at the Stadium of Light, in this round of predictions...

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Philip Butler Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 3 - 1 Fleetwood Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden O’Brien

With Sunderland winning so comfortably in their last two games in League One, it's difficult to predict anything other than a win for Lee Johnson’s side against Fleetwood tonight.

Since his sacking in January, Joey Barton is no longer on the sidelines for tonight’s opponents and instead another familiar face in Simon Grayson will returning after his ill-fated stint in charge of Sunderland.

Grayson is something of an expert at losing at the Stadium of Light, and with the Black Cats in such good form, I’m predicting another two or three goals but will stop short of backing our defence of square pegs in round holes to keep a second consecutive clean sheet.

As for goalscorers, I’ve been conservative by backing Sunderland to win comfortably so, in a bid to gain some points on my fellow predictors, I’ve gone for Aiden O’Brien as a differential pick. He played well on Saturday and is due another goal after bagging the first a couple of weeks ago in Milton Keynes.

Photo by Richard Sellers/PA Images via Getty Images

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Malcolm Dugdale Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Fleetwood Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

Sunderland proved last time out that they can finally play well against teams at the lower end of the league as well as those at the top. The Lads simply have to keep winning if we are to have any chance of a top two slot, as well as needing results to go our way to accelerate the process of getting there.

Fleetwood are a bit of a bogey team, but Joey Barton is no more just as Parkinson isn’t around either. Since the start of the year they have only won one game, at home against the side we battered recently in Doncaster Rovers. We have to maintain momentum and take all three points.

At the same time we take on Simon Grayson’s Fleetwood - Hull are taking on Ipswich, Portsmouth are at Oxford and Posh are away to Argyle which is always an unenviable midweek trip, so there may be an opportunity to take advantage if others slip up.

Let’s show everyone what four cameras worth of good football is like and put another old foe to the sword. I am sure Chaz will relish the chance to start the display, and 2 or 3-0 is the likely outcome for me.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Matthew Foster Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 1 Fleetwood Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

Like Burton, our form against Fleetwood has been fishy in recent years, and we have yet to record a victory against the Cod Army in six attempts.

But having put one bogey team to the sword, there’s no reason we can’t do it again. Since our last meeting, both sides have changed managers, with a familiar face in Simon Grayson now in the Fleetwood dugout.

They are on a poor run of form, with two wins in 15 seeing them plummet down the table into 16th, having been seventh at the start of December.

For us though, it’s seems to be really clicking, and we’re on a real high right now. Johnson’s adaptability with his formation is refreshing and is producing results, so long may that continue.

Whilst we’ve not won three on the bounce in the league so far this season, I have been swept up in the wave of optimism and I’m backing another victory with Charlie Wyke producing the goods.

Photo by Richard Sellers/PA Images via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Fleetwood Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

It’s nice to finally play Fleetwood without Joey Barton’s tedious rhetoric marring the proceedings (though sad news that he has been appointed Bristol Rovers manager).

Fleetwood find themselves in the bottom half and are without a win in six, so a performance similar to that against Doncaster and Burton should see us sweep them aside with relative ease.

The loss of Ched Evans is a blow, but Callum Camps and Paddy Madden will remain a threat. Madden in particular has caused us issues before, so if our makeshift centre half pairing continues, it will be interesting to see how they will cope.

Hopefully we can continue our recent spate of wins, and notch another. I can’t see past a win for the lads and a clean sheet, based upon Fleetwood’s lack of goals recently. Naturally, Wyke is the go to man for a first scorer - ha’way the lads!

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Will Jones Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 2 - 0 Fleetwood Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady

Another week and another full set of fixtures. After a great week, the team seems confident, maybe even a little arrogant. Perfect for this game.

Fleetwood are on a poor run of form with one win in their last 13 in all competitions. They seem devoid of confidence and with their new manager, in good old Simon Grayson, they don’t seem to have turned much of a corner, and we need to hit them hard before they do.

On paper we have a squad that is able to pick apart a team, devoid of confidence, get an early goal and hopefully have it done by half-time.

I expect a few changes but nothing drastic. But alas, the same result. Professional win and a clean sheet is on my shopping list for Tuesday please LJ.

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Martin Wanless Predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 4-0 Fleetwood Town

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Dion Sanderson

There’s a part of me that’s feeling a little more cautious than the other lads, in that this is a perfect game for the Law of Akinbiyi to come into play. Fleetwood are a bogey side for us, Grayson never won at the SOL as Sunderland manager... you can just see it can’t you?

But then, on the other hand, the way we’ve played in the past two league games suggests Fleetwood will be no problem and we should brush them aside with ease, and does give me a fair amount of confidence.

Looking at our predictions table, it’s what you might call sh*t or bust time for me this season, so in an attempt to get a snooker on the other lads I’m going for a left field first scorer in Dion Sanderson, who’s going to power home the first with his head to set up a convincing 4-0 win to celebrate our new four camera set up!