Score Predictions: Can Sunderland get anything off recently-relegated Saints?

Predictions League Table - Latest Standings

Before all this transfer window madness really kicked in, the lads earned a well deserved point on the road to Coventry City, keeping a clean sheet in the act. That is an improvement, being something SAFC have struggled with in the games earlier this season.

There were chances at both ends but a draw was probably a fair result, giving Tony and the team 4 points from the last 2 games, a way better average than the games before that. Arguably some of the earlier performances were better and we got nothing. Such is football.

As can be seen in the table below, the forecasts were mixed ahead of kick off, and nobody called a 0-0 at all.

The Predictions table post-Coventry City away shows Martin increasing his lead at the top with his extra point. Malc and Matty added a point too, so both now join the peloton of predictors on 3 points.

Jack has a sole point to his name, but will be hoping to make a mess of the table this weekend, of that we are sure.

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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: Sunderland 1 Southampton 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jobe

The lads need something from this and I am maybe erring on the optimistic side by saying they will get something, given all the madness that started around Thursday afternoon in terms of player ins and outs, and was still going on when this item was submitted for publishing.

That said, Ross Stewart was never going to feature today, and Lynden Gooch may have been an introduction off the bench at most, so at the time of drafting this, we can run out with the same starting 11 as we did at whatever they now call the Ricoh. Hopefully with that the case we can get a decent point.

Jobe is one of the players who certainly isn't leaving Friday night, and was in great form scoring 2 the game before last. The Brum lad will want to improve on the performance against one of his neighbours in the West Midlands, as will the rest of the team.

I’m calling young Bellingham as our best chance of the net being pushed back. If we get another 0-0 that's a great result.

Photo by Barrington Coombs/PA Images via Getty Images

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Matty Foster predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 Southampton 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jobe

The first of the three relegated sides we face comes in the shape of Southampton.

They’ve made a strong start to life back in the second tier, with three wins and one draw.

And whilst they’ve lost quite a few of their star players (and likely gained a familiar face), they have a squad more than capable of going straight back up.

It will be a good measure of our mettle against one of the heavier hitters in the league.

I do fear the presence of Adam Armstrong, who as a boyhood mag would love to have something to gloat about on social media.

If you offered me a draw now, I’d snap your hand off. But I can’t see it, unfortunately.

Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images

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Bomber Davies predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 0 Southampton 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: No SAFC scorer

For me there is an aura of the beginning of the end of some sort of short-lived but euphoric era for us.

After being somewhat of a surprise package last year and setting the league alight, this year might be different, particularly with a fair bit of change in the squad.

On the pitch we are blunt in the final third, whilst Southampton have scored 10 in their first four fixtures. I just cannot back us to win and don’t expect anything from the game sadly, but I’m writing at 6am on deadline day so I may feel differently in 24 hours (hopefully!).

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

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Martin Wanless predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 0 Southampton 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: No SAFC scorer

I’m not at all confident about this one - Southampton look as if they’re on a different level to us and the mood won’t be helped by Stewart signing for them.

I am writing this before that move is confirmed, and before we hopefully make five or six quality additions on Friday, but as things stand we’re not exactly scoring a load, and I don’t expect anything from this game. Onwards and upwards!

Photo by Mark Fletcher/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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Will Jones predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 Southampton 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

After a frantic deadline day, the lads turn their attention to the ball-hogging saints who are making headway in their return to the championship.

We are going to have to learn to not have the ball and be safe, we have been lacklustre at the back this far so we need to buck our ideas up, this week especially.

We also need to be a lot more clinical with our chances as we may not have the ball enough to create many, therefore this is not a game we are just gonna have to learn from this and hopefully grab something and move forward with the new lads.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

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Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...

Score Prediction: Sunderland 1 Southampton 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Jack Clarke

How will we ever cope with Russell Martin’s utopian football?

Southampton have started well, as you’d expect with the squad they have and the money they have available. The sadness that Ross Stewart will be joining those ranks has yet to bed in, and I hope we can get into them just for that.

We desperately need to find a way to get some goals, and at least we managed a clean sheet last time, which gives some defensive hope.

It’ll be tough but let’s just give it a go.

Photo by Stephen White - CameraSport via Getty Images