Roker Report Score Predictions: Can Sunderland keep up our unbeaten away record at Shrewsbury?

Last Time Out...

Phil took an opportunity to take advantage of the others’ confidence in Sunderland to get back-to-back results at Stadium MK last week. A point for predicting a draw and one for calling Charlie Wyke would open the scoring moves Phil clear of Matthew and joint second with Malcolm in pursuit of leader Jack.

The only other to pick up anything from Sunderland’s draw on Saturday was Martin who also backed Charlie Wyke to continue his good form. This means a maximum score for Martin tonight could see him lift off the bottom of the table after a prolonged stay.

Today’s Game...

Despite the draw last week our panel is still confident that Sunderland will continue to get results away from home. Only Will has not gone for an away win and has plumped for a Sunderland speciality – 1-1.

We’ll let you decide if their confidence is misplaced and let our panel explain their decisions in this round of predictions...

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Philip Butler Predicts...

Score Prediction: Shrewsbury Town 0 - 2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Lynden Gooch

Sunderland’s inconsistent form and love of a draw meant I got a healthy two points in the last game, and I’m expecting the inconsistency to continue with an away win for Lee Johnson’s side tonight.

Sunderland struggled against Shrewsbury in the second half when the two sides met at the Stadium of Light, but after facing similar struggles against a side who also play 3-5-2 at the weekend, Lee Johnson should have developed a plan for keeping a clean sheet against tonight’s opponents.

Sunderland are always a good shout for a goal under the former Bristol City manager, and with Aiden McGeady playing a number of defence-splitting passes on Saturday I can see Lynden Gooch profiting if he lines up in a more central position tonight.

The American international struggled to get into the game on Saturday afternoon, but we know he has the ability to score goals and Sunderland’s depth in wide areas should allow him to move inside and support Charlie Wyke.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images

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Malcolm Dugdale Predicts...

Score Prediction: Shrewsbury Town 1 - 3 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

We have said this a number of times before, and with 21 more games still to play, we will say it again – we need to get the winning feeling back and we need to start with this game away to the Shrews.

For Sunderland to resume a real push upwards we need to go back to the cup performance that put MK to the sword last Tuesday, and return the pace, power and clinical finishing to our game. We should and could have won last Saturday but we defended poorly and made changes to the side that slowed us up, while not converting what we created.

I’d like Jones and Diamond back in the side, and Neil at least on the bench as they are game changers which (with all due respect) the likes of Leadbitter, Maguire and the iffy-performing Gooch aren’t providing. Game changers are what we need just now.

Every three points is critical, but some more than others, so let’s take the game to the Shrewsbury lads and come away with the win.

Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images

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Matthew Foster Predicts...

Score Prediction: Shrewsbury Town 0 - 1 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jordan Jones

Saturday’s draw left us with an all too familiar sense of frustration, having had an opportunity to capitalise on teams above dropping points.

That’s 11 draws so far; the highest in the league. If we were more clinical in just four of those games, we’d be sitting in the top two with a great shout of automatic promotion. Yet for the second season going, we’re making hard work of even achieving a play-off place.

Up next is Shrewsbury Town, and it feels like only two minutes since a Charlie Wyke header won the reverse fixture, and broke a six-game winless run at home. Two weeks and three games along, we lock horns again. Shrewsbury have won two of those three games, including an impressive victory and clean sheet over our promotion rivals Peterborough.

Shrewsbury themselves have been prone to stalemates this season, with nine in total, a record only surpassed by Sunderland and, even though all signs point towards more of the same for both sides – and against my better judgement – I’m backing us to grab all three points, with Jordan Jones to build on his promising start with a goal.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell Predicts...

Score Prediction: Shrewsbury Town 0 - 2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

Last time, Sunderland controlled an encounter against a Shrewsbury side that had been largely inconvenienced by an outbreak of COVID-19 cases. Shrewsbury will have no such issues this time around, and it could make for a tougher encounter.

Shrewsbury, despite their lowly league position, have a knack for coming out victorious against top-six sides. That should work in our favour seeing as we’re 7th! On a serious note, Shrewsbury recently dispatched Peterborough 2-0, and in December they defeated Lincoln, Doncaster and Hull, so are no mugs.

Sunderland will need to be more organised at the back than they were against MK Dons, or we could be punished again. On a positive note, we’re creating some good chances at the moment but we can’t keep putting ourselves in positions where we need to score three to win a game.

I’m interested to see what side Johnson opts for, and in particular, if Jordan Jones will get a start. His appearances so far have shown glimpses of quality, and he could make a real difference.

I think we will shake off the draws and win well, with the main man Charlie Wyke bagging again.

Photo by John Cripps/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Will Jones Predicts...

Score Prediction: Shrewsbury Town 1 - 1 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady

I don’t think I have got any right so far this month and with the way we are playing, there are extremely fine lines between draws and wins. We need wins, and we need them bad. We are not taking advantage of any downfalls and are just not quite there yet, albeit there are promising signs.

Both Jones and Vokins must start. Vokins had a poor opening period in which we conceded both goals, then when he got into the game we seemed more of a team and were good in every aspect. If he has had his stutter and can now kick on, we can have a very dominant left side with him and Jones, who played extremely well in both his spells in MK1.

However, I don’t want to see Grant starting, especially if we are playing a midfield two. He cannot cope, I don’t see how LJ hasn’t noticed this and, if he has and Grant is critical to his plans, why he isn’t overcompensating in the centre to help out.

I see this game very much dependant on how we line up and start. Come out of the blocks fast and we can take the game by the balls. If not we will struggle to get back into it and will not win. Simple.

Photo by John Cripps/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Martin Wanless Predicts...

Score Prediction: Shrewsbury Town 0 - 2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Charlie Wyke

For months we’ve worked on the premise we struggle against teams who sit back and defend. Now we seem to struggle with teams coming at us.

This is the stage of the season where we really need to kick on and build something that’ll see us getting a nice head of steam come the end of the season. There are some promising signs, and hopefully, the likes of Jones will be able to add something else to our attacking play – however, our defence, which for the vast majority of the season has looked very solid, is starting to look a bit shaky. Maybe Johnson was too quick to ditch the back three?

Shrewsbury obviously gave us a tough game a couple of weeks ago, and it’ll be another battle tonight against a side that recognises Tommy Lynch as a club legend.

Charlie Wyke is in good form (thankfully, given no one else looks like scoring) and I’m going for him to notch the opener in a more reserved game than we saw at the weekend. 2-0 to the lads.