Sunderland vs Preston predictions: Expect third successive win for Black Cats
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- Sunderland won 2-1 at home against Cardiff over the weekend
- Preston lost 1-0 at second-placed Sheffield United last time out
- Recommended bet: Sunderland to win and both teams to score
Sunderland will be hoping to keep their faint hopes of automatic promotion alive when they welcome Preston to the Stadium of Light for Championship action on Tuesday.
The Black Cats’ victory against Cardiff last time out was the first time that they have won back-to-back games since the start of the year, having previously defeated Sheffield Wednesday 2-1.
Preston’s loss at Sheffield United leaves them in a no man’s land position in the Championship, 11 points clear of the relegation zone and 12 points adrift from the play-off positions.
Team news
Patrick Roberts was substituted early on in Sunderland’s triumph against Cardiff with a muscle issue and could miss this one.
Daniel Ballard, Aji Alese, Niall Huggins, Salis Abdul Samed and Ian Poveda are definitely out with injuries for the Black Cats.
Milutin Osmajic and Jayden Meghoma both missed Preston’s defeat at Sheffield United and face fitness tests.
The stats
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Sunderland are looking to win three games in a row for the first time since October.
The Black Cats have conceded in seven of their last eight outings.
Preston are without a win from their last five Championship matches, drawing three times at home and losing two away.
North End have scored in four of their last five away games.
Prediction
Sunderland and Preston are at opposite halves of the table yet find themselves in similar positions, with both in danger of running out of things to strive for this season.
Paul Heckingbottom’s visitors will neither be relegated nor make the play-offs, making their Championship campaign something of an irrelevance ahead of their upcoming FA Cup quarter-final tie against Aston Villa.
Sunderland’s league position is nowhere near as bleak, but in fourth place, eight points ahead of Coventry in fifth and eight points behind second-placed Sheffield United, they do seem sure of a play-off spot, without holding much chance of automatic promotion.
All the Black Cats can do is to try and find the sort of consistency that might see them bridge the gap, should the top three teams suffer some serious loss of form.
With Sunderland having more to play for than a Preston side that are likely to have one eye on that rare chance to reach Wembley in the FA Cup, the hosts should win a third successive game, though they may well concede again.
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