Score Predictions: Can Sunderland conquer Cardiff?

Last time out... Sunderland 4 Hull 4

Well, that was a bit of a ding dong wasn’t it?

A great game for the neutral turned out to be another “W” thrown away by The Lads as we managed to take a 4-3 lead in the 81st minute only to give away a penalty in the 96th (when we were only supposed to play 5m added on).

Hull duly converted that spot kick as the clock wound past 98 minutes. Gut wrenching stuff, but a cracking spectacle for the Sky team to cover.

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

The same neutrals who loved that 8-goal behemoth may well say that after numerous great goals and a defensive display either end that would have our Benno effing and jeffing all day long, Hull maybe deserved to get something from the game. I still think we threw away 2 points and narrowly deserved the victory, but maybe that’s my red and white tinted specs.

What’s done is done, and we move on to Cardiff away this afternoon, hoping that our tendency to perform better on the road than at home carries on.

Such was the optimism before Hull at home, the lads didn’t really see a draw coming, as can be seen from the forecasted outcomes from the Predictions lads above.

Nobody backed our Joffy to get our first goal either, so points were way less prevalent than goals in the first of our Easter weekend ties.

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Predictions League Table - After Game 40 - Hull (H)

No change in the table - Jack maintains a narrow lead, it’s tighter than a gnat’s nostril from first to 4th, and Martin needs a miracle.

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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 (no goal scorer is a valid call)
• Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = TBC at Malc’s discretion…

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Malc Dugdale predicts...

Score Prediction: Cardiff 0 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Patrick Roberts

Our form is like a sine wave in the last couple of games…defence takes a peak, then attack has a peak…we need to smooth that sine wave and play well at the back while maybe not expecting quite so much overwhelming creativity at the other end too.

Paddy Roberts has been ever so unlucky not to score in recent games and he is a proven away day diamond, so I am going for us reverting back to a defensive peak, and a 1-0 away win thanks to our Paddy.

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

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Matty Foster predicts...

Score Prediction: Cardiff 1 Sunderland 3

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

Cardiff are one of seven sides at the bottom scrapping to stay in the Championship.

They’re only a point above the drop zone, and will be desperate to build on their 3-1 victory over Blackpool.

The fact that we are not one of those seven is credit to the lads, but we need not let our season peter out.

Our current form is abysmal, and whilst there are mitigating circumstances with all of our absences, we need to get that winning feeling back.

It won’t be straightforward, but our attacking prowess will be enough to leave South Wales with all three points.

Photo by Dave Howarth - CameraSport via Getty Images

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Bomber Davies predicts...

Score Prediction: Cardiff 0 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

Well any pressure of mounting a playoff push has now we’ll and truly dissipated, so we can enjoy the rest of the season right?

With the mentality of this Sunderland team, I’d like to think that they won’t spend the next half-dozen games with their Havianas on and beach towels down.

Assuming I’m right, our away record, form and league position should be more than enough to see off a Cardiff side whose safety is far from guaranteed.

Goals at the Cardiff City Stadium have been very hard to come by, with Cardiff scoring just 18, but conceding only 20 in their 20 home matches this season.

As with any game this season, I’ll back is to score, and with Clarke back in form I’m hoping he’ll be back amongst the goals!

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Martin Wanless predicts...

Score Prediction: Cardiff 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Amad

I think it’ll be a tight game today, and with Cardiff coming into a bit of form it’ll be a tough test for the lads.

I’m going for a score draw, with Amad getting our goal – and Connor Wickham probably bagging for them.

Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images

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Will Jones predicts...

Score Prediction: Cardiff 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Joffy Gelhardt

One team fighting for their lives, another chilling mid table. Who would have thought we were the latter at the start of the season?

1 win in 9 is not good enough no matter the point in the season. We need to break that duck, and what better time than against a team 1 point above the drop zone.

Cardiff seem to have more life in them than us at the moment, but on our day we are a top top team and I expect that to be resurrected today.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...

Score Prediction: Cardiff 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

It was an exciting game on Good Friday but did little to improve our current poor run of form.

I wonder if our youthful side is running out of steam or we are just settling into the mid-table position we were alway likely to?

With the odd contrasts of excellent defensive work against Burnley versus the attacking threat seen against Hull, it would be nice to see them working in tandem in this one.

I’m hoping for something a little more sedate with a better outcome.

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