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Sunderland Unveil New Loan SIgning Joe Gelhardt

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Starting XI: Here’s who we think will start for Sunderland at Millwall today

The lads take on the Lions at the New Den today – so who’ll be in the team for kick off?

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Well, there’ll be at least one change to our starting XI today, and it’ll be interesting to see if that’s the only switch from our impressive display at Fulham last week... I think it will be.


Goalkeeper: Anthony Patterson

Patterson gained a lot of plaudits for his display at Fulham – he made some cracking saves and deserved the praise.

Fulham v Sunderland: Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Patto had an excellent game last weekend
Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Defenders: Trai Hume, Dan Ballard, Danny Batth, Aji Alese

Same again in defence – Ballard and Batth are an excellent partnership, and Hume’s been a revelation at right back. On the other side, Alese struggled a bit last weekend but he’ll surely keep his place today.

Sunderland v Middlesbrough - Sky Bet Championship
Ballard returns to the club where he spent last season on loan
Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Midfield: Edouard Michut, Dan Neil

This is the only place where I think we could possibly make another change – Ekwah could come in to the starting XI purely because of his physicality. However, I think that’d be harsh on Michut, and really we need to see how he copes in a game like this – so same again for me today. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if we changed it up a little, with Ekwah making up a three and Roberts sitting this one out.

Fulham v Sunderland: Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
It’ll be good to see Michut get a run of games
Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images

Attacking midfield: Patrick Roberts, Amad, Jack Clarke

If we do keep the same formation as previous weeks, however, it’ll be the same again here too – Jack Clarke got a lovely goal last weekend and that should give him confidence heading into today’s fixture. Alongside him will surely be Roberts and Amad.

Fulham v Sunderland: Emirates FA Cup Fourth Round
Class
Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Striker: Joe Gelhardt

Will Gelhardt come straight in? Surely he will. We’ll have to change the way we play as he won’t provide the focal point that Stewart does – but he’ll hopefully give us the cutting edge that we lacked when Stewart was out last time.

Sunderland Unveil New Loan SIgning Joe Gelhardt
Hopefully Gelhardt will hit the ground running
Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images
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