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Last Time Out...
Points all round after the midweek victory over Fleetwood, with our leader Jack claiming all three points for the correct score along with Malcolm and Will. Phil picked up an extra point for calling Aiden O’Brien to get the opener, which leaves Martin falling further adrift at the bottom.
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Are they backing Lee Johnson’s Sunderland bandwagon to keep gathering momentum and claiming a FOURTH win in a row as we hit the road to face Crewe Alexandra...?
Philip Butler Predicts...
Score Prediction: Crewe Alexandra 1 - 3 Sunderland
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Grant Leadbitter
Even though this run is bound to end sometime, I can't do anything other than back a Sunderland win for this afternoon's game. Crewe are a decent side who play pretty good football, but they lost one or two key players in January and are likely to finish around mid-table in the league this season. Put simply, you can admire their youth development, but they’re a side Sunderland must beat if they want to get promoted this year.
I think a run of three straight clean sheets could be asking too much of our makeshift backline, but I’m backing Wyke, McGeady and Co. to outscore the home side in a three-one win for Lee Johnson’s men.
As for first goalscorers, I’m hopeless at guessing these - even though I was right during midweek - so I’ll have a punt on Grant Leadbitter. He offers a threat from range, and the fact that he’s our penalty taker means he’s a better option than most deep-lying midfielders.
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Malcolm Dugdale Predicts...
Score Prediction: Crewe Alexandra 0 - 2 Sunderland
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Lynden Gooch
Before the Fleetwood and Burton games this one would be another where a draw would be the safe bet, as we would fully expect Crewe to park the bus, and previously we would not be able to breakthrough.
After the bogey team’s beating we have put away of late, I am convinced we can get now breakdown and score against even the most tightly parked bus. This theory will be seriously tested away to Crewe this afternoon as they have done very well at home.
They held Ipswich to a 1-1 at the end of last month (albeit against ten men for a spell), and they did us a favour with a 2-0 win over Stanley on Tuesday, again with a ten-man opposition for 40 mins or so. So maybe the trick is not to get anyone sent off against Crewe...?!
Gooch has had a couple of one on one chances in the last few games and hasn’t converted them, suggesting that scoring a screamer from the edge of the box is easier for some mad reason. I am backing him to get the opener this week, and for the lads to secure 4 wins in a row with a 2-0 way victory.
There is as much chance this could be a draw or a 5-0 to us, it all depends if we play a first 45 minutes like Doncaster and Lincoln away, or like Fleetwood at home. Just keep winning lads, any way you can.
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Matthew Foster Predicts...
Score Prediction: Crewe Alexandra - Sunderland
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady
In football, momentum is everything, and right now Sunderland are very much on an upward trajectory.
Fleetwood evidently were playing for a draw on Tuesday, and I have no doubt they would have got one if Ross or Parkinson had been in charge.
Looking at our upcoming games, I see no reason why we can’t extend our three-game winning run, and start to put real pressure on the top two.
We need not underestimate Crewe however, as they’ve acclimatised well since promotion and sit comfortably in mid-table. Their home form is decent as well, with only three losses in fifteen.
Not to mention top-scorer Mikael Mandron, who has experience of netting against his former employers.
It’s been an exhilarating few weeks for us Sunderland fans, and with confidence pouring out the seems I think we should ultimately have too much for Crewe.
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Jack Howe-Gingell Predicts...
Score Prediction: Crewe Alexandra 0 - 3 Sunderland
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke
The win over another of our bogey sides in Fleetwood Town has got me dreaming big, and I hope we can keep going. It was the first time in a very long while that we actually seemed like a dominant side, and importantly, a promotion candidate.
Crewe have been decent this season and are only six points outside the playoff places, within the upper mid-table pack. I expect them to give us a decent game and hope we can match it.
Former players always strike fear into my heart, and Mikel Mandron is no exception. He has seven goals this season and will be a big test with his aerial presence. Sanderson and O’Nien have performed well together, but both will need to excel again.
I think we will ultimately have too much for them, and provided we keep it tight, a comfortable score line will follow. Charlie Wyke will be feeling the pinch after one whole game without a goal - expect him to bag one or two here.
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Will Jones Predicts...
Score Prediction: Crewe Alexandra 0 - 1 Sunderland
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke
What a couple of weeks eh? Win after win after win.
Nine goals in the last three league games with only one conceded with the majority of teams around us dropping points feels magnificent!
We have a great run coming and the team looks confident no matter who we play or who we put out. Crewe are a good side who have an outside chance of making the play offs and with Mandron they are a threat. The striker just signing a new deal and wanting to foil us again.
I feel we have it in us to keep this momentum building. A win for the lads without picking up any more injuries is all I ask!
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Martin Wanless Predicts...
Score Prediction: Crewe Alexandra 0 - 3 Sunderland
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady
The last time I was at Gresty Road was in November 2003. It’d been an early start in order to watch a Jonny Wilkinson inspired England stuff the Aussies in Sydney. I’m not really a fan of rugby union – much prefer league – but it was one of those tournaments that everyone seemed to get into.
And so, after a few breakfast pints to accompany the action from Down Under, we headed to Crewe, to see how Mick McCarthy’s team would fare. Hopes were high, we’d beaten Gillingham 3-1 in our last away game and on-loan Stewart Downing had started firing.
But, as Sunderland so often do, we came a cropper. We got stuffed 3-0 by a good team featuring Dean Ashton. And Billy Jones. I have recollections of it pissing down too, but that may be an over-exaggeration on my memory’s behalf. If it wasn’t, it should have been.
Anyway, I’m going for the reverse scoreline 17 and a half years later. Let’s hope so. There’s little margin for error left this season, and the professional job we did on Fleetwood in midweek gives me confidence we could go on a good run to the end of the season. Misplaced confidence? Only time will tell.