Last time out...

Phil, Matthew and Martin all called the 2-1 win at MK Dons on Saturday, but only Matthew could claim the perfect prediction with Ross Stewart bagging the first. Everyone else also picked up a point for either calling the win or the first goalscorer.

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Current standings...

The results from the weekend mean that we’re starting to see the table spread out with four points separating top from bottom and Phil taking an early top spot... but like League One, it’s a marathon not a sprint!

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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...

Phil Butler says...

Burton Albion 0-2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ross Stewart

Burton are likely to be a much greater presence in the League One promotion race than they were last season, and the fixture – which is the lower league equivalent of "a cold Tuesday night in Stoke" will be no walkover for Lee Johnson's men.

However, after three successive 2-1 wins this season I'm finding it had to go against the red and white wizards and surely we are due a clean sheet after Burge was high in those particular rankings last season.

As for goalscorers, I'm wary of a repeat of last year here, where I seemed to avoid Wyke because he would stop scoring at some point, and the big number nine got 30 goals. Hopefully, I can be on the Stewart bandwagon when he does the same.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Malcolm Dugdale says...

Burton Albion 0-2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Lynden Gooch

With the potential addition of Alves alongside Cirkin and Doyle, and the return (I hope) of O’Nien from sickness, we can potentially be a little more solid at the back and through the middle than we were at times on Saturday. We will miss Evans though, no doubt about that.

MK Dons created very little until we went 2-0 up, but with the Evans sub and the goal they got back, we then looked nervy (and missing a penalty didn’t help). Burton will do “shithousery” way better than MK Dons did, but we need to play our game, and put this one to bed by going 2-0 up as early as possible.

Gooch played well Saturday but had to move around later on to help with injury cover. I think we are likely to move Winchester into holding midfield and put Younger at right back, which should allow Lynden to stay up top and seek out his first goal. He forced a stumble out of the MK Dons keeper, had a pen saved, and hit the bar the game before, so hopefully this time he converts, and first for us.

If we can see a cameo from Broadhead too, we could really take this to Burton. Three wins from three would be great whatever the score, but clean sheets starting to happen will help.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Matthew Foster says...

Burton Albion 0-1 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Elliot Embleton

Three wins in three, we couldn't have asked for a better start! On paper, our opponents tonight Burton should be a game we win comfortably. However, they themselves have had a great start, with two out of two in the league, including a win against promotion favourites Ipswich.

On top of that, we've not exactly had the best luck when facing The Brewers in the past! Yet once again, I find the blind optimism coming to the fore, and I'm backing yet another win for Lee Johnson and the lads!

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Jack Howe-Gingell says...

Burton Albion 1-3 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady

A clash of the 100 percenters in this one, even if it is only the third game of the league campaign. Burton have started surprisingly well, after a creditable win over Ipswich at the weekend.

It looks impressive on paper but the stats heavily favoured Ipswich and it appeared that Burton can be exploited at the back. New summer signing Louis Moult has been ruled out for five months, so expect Lucas Akins and Joe Powell to be their usual threats as is often the case.

Three wins in all competitions for the lads will keep us buoyant, and there is a chance new loanees Fred Alves and Nathan Broadhead could feature, further expanding our options. I fancy a McGeady belter to light up this one early doors, and the lads to see it through, with our highest goal return so far.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Will Jones says...

Burton Albion 1-1 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ross Stewart

100% still and 2-1 being the new 1-1 means we have wielded zero clean sheets. This will be a completely different game to the two we have played so far. A small pitch, fans close to the action and a very physical team who don’t need possession to be dangerous.

I believe it’s going to be a very close fought game and both teams cancelling each other out while it not being a scintillating game of football.

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Martin Wanless says...

Burton Albion 1-2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ross Stewart

There was a chant we quite liked a while ago, wasn’t there? We always win 2-1… well, it seems it could be the anthem for August. I fancy us to get another three points tonight.

While our performance on Saturday wasn’t as dominant as we’d have liked I think that was by virtue of MK Dons ‘pass to death’ gameplan. We could easily have won 4-1, and we’ll be taking a lot of heart into this game. JFH has done a good job since taking over at the turn of the year but I fancy us to claim all three points. 2-1, with Ross Stewart continuing to impress.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Chris Wynn says...

Burton Albion 1-1 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Aiden McGeady

I’ve got a feeling tonight will be a tough affair at Burton. Their tails are up and it was a hard-fought victory at Milton Keynes on Saturday. It could be one of those points that at the end of the season we’ll be talking about in terms of how useful it was in the grand scheme of things.

Ross Stewart is always going to be the favourite to grab a goal for us in any game at this early stage, but McGeady is due one I reckon.

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