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...

Lincoln City 1-2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

Clarke deserves a start, and with his evasive dribbling at high speed I am hopeful he can get our opening goal early on.

I’m not sure we are yet ready to hold them out with a clean sheet but I think we have enough to nick a goal win. We need all three points by whatever means.

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Jack Howe-Gingell says...

Lincoln City 0-2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ross Stewart

Off the back of another ground out win over Crewe, we need to keep up the momentum and pour some more misery on a poor Lincoln side. Your resident wind up merchant Chris Maguire has failed to score since his typical hattrick against in the reverse fixture, but the lack of the Lee Johnson factor may negate his risk.

If we can keep it tight much as we have been of late, I fancy us to win this at a canter. But, it would be nice to take control prior to the last ten minutes for once!

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Will Jones says...

Lincoln City 0-3 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ross Stewart

In a game where, from what it seems neither team try in the first half, I’m expecting an all out war in the second half at Sincil Bank, to which we will show our class.

We have been poor at breaking teams down early on lately but it seems that teams are changing it up against us in our little blip of good form.

I believe, if Neil’s game plan comes off, we will show our vast amounts of quality and push these to one side just like we did when we beat Pompey and Wednesday having been beat first time around. Three points, clean sheet and no injuries in the bag please lads

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Martin Wanless says...

Lincoln City 0-1 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ross Stewart

If you’d told me before the beginning of the reverse fixture that by the time we went to Sincil Bank nine weeks later we’d have a new manager, a completely different style of play, and be struggling to get into the play-offs I’d have called for the fellas in white coats to cart you off.

But here we are. Alex Neil has strengthened the defence and given us a bit of stability, while sacrificing some of the free flowing, attacking football that we saw – on occasion – under Lee Johnson. I think we’re in for another tight game, which will make up for what it lacks in entertainment with a very valuable three points.

Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images

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Chris Wynn says...

Lincoln City 1-2 Sunderland

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Ross Stewart

It’s not going to be easy this afternoon at Lincoln and it could all depend on which Lincoln turns up, and which Sunderland turns up for that fact. We’re on a run of five without defeat so hopefully we’re getting into a rhythm of grinding out results and I’ve got a feeling we’ll need a bit of that to pull off a result today.

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