Match Day Thread MK Dons v Sunderland - Saturday 6th February - KO 15:00

Sunderland travel to the Stadium MK to face the MK Dons in the SkyBet League One.

Last time out Sunderland beat the MK Dons 3-0 in the Papa John's Trophy.
Another battle between these two sides, but this time it’s in the League.
Bailey Wright is expected to return to the squad having missed the game due to suspension on Tuesday. The Black Cats could also call on new signings Jones, Winchester and Vokins.
The other new signing, Ross Stewart, still has an injury and is unlikely to feature.
McFadzean was taken off with a suspected groin injury on Tuesday and could sit this one out.
Will Grigg is unavailable due to the terms of his loan, and will have to wait to make his first Dons appearance in four-and-a-half years but Zak Jules could make his MK Dons bow on Saturday after sitting out Tuesday’s Papa John’s Trophy tie due to being cup tied.
Boss Russell Martin also revealed on Tuesday that midfielder Andrew Surman is expected to return after almost a month on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Lee Johnson:
“We’ve moved players out and that’s never easy, and we wish them all the very best as Kristjaan (Speakman, Sunderland’s sporting director) has done in his statements, but it has just been good to refresh the squad with four very good players that we believe will help us and which add a bit more competition and dynamism to our play.
“Yes, I’d like a few more wins and we have to keep on improving, but I have to say that it’s a really good football club and with potential new ownership on the horizon, I believe that we can really kick on, whether that be short, medium, or long-term.”
“I thought that it was a really good squad win. It proves that the boys are fit, and we have a depth and can make changes. It shows that we have young players coming through who can compete and push the first-team players.”
“If there are any attitude slips (from the first-teamers), no problem, bang they (the youngsters) are in. I thought that it was a difficult game, they move the ball frequently, and the concentration element is really important when you’re playing MK Dons.”
“There’s a consistency to our performances and we managed to get good minutes into the likes of (new loan signing) Jordan Jones, who I thought looked bright, and Dan Neil, who I thought was excellent.”
“Ollie Younger, Jack Diamond – these are young players and these are our future, so we need to make sure that we find them the minutes where possible and use the strength in depth to compete on all fronts.”
Russell Martin:
"If you take away the last ten minutes which will make everyone feel completely differently about the game, we have six shots, they have six shots, they have three on target, we have three on target.”
"We were 1-0 down and they hadn’t had a shot on target, so for 60-odd minutes I was pleased with the performance.”
"I think that conceding a poor goal there was a fundamental mistake in there, not from Louis Thompson, but it shouldn’t happen with the work we do. I’m frustrated with that, but I thought that we responded well. I felt like we were right in the game."

Match Appointments:
Referee: TOM NIELD
Assistant Referees: Stuart Butler and Danny Gratton
Fourth Official: Sam Purkiss

Team Line ups
Sunderland: Matthews, Power, Wright, Willis, Vokins, O’Nien, Leadbitter, Neil, McGeady, Wyke, Diamond

Subs: Burge, Sanderson, Winchester, Scowen, Gooch, O'Brien, Jones.
Injured: Xhemajli, Kimpioka, Hume, Stewart.

MK Dons: (3-5-2) Fisher, O’Hara, Darling, Lewington (C), Laird, Fraser, Gladwin, Harvie, Sorensen, Mason, Jerome.
Subs: Nicholls, O'Riley, Brown, Thompson, Freeman, Sorinola, Johnson.
Injured: Williams, Agard, Bird, Houghton, Kasumu

Betting Odds:
Home 14/5 Away 22/21Draw 23/10

My two pence:
I could have just cut and pasted the last one
MK Dons showed that they can pass it about a bit but they have trouble putting the ball in the back of the net.
We looked really dangerous in the last 30 minutes, so lets hope that we can play for the full 90 this time around.

I’m going for an important 3-1 away win.

Live stream £10
https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/live-video

Ha’way the Lads

 

No - Will Grigg can't play against us
- shame really

 

RTB

One of my fears for this game, is that as we won Tuesday they will out of revenge, have an edge.

Until towards the end, the game was quite tight. We had done our usual sit back, after Diamond managed an in-off goal.

As for the team, as MKD play a possession based game ( not like Gillingham, balls in the box) we can try to play our football as we did last 20/30 mins on Tuesday..Mcgeady and Wyke in from the start.

 

We'll have a better team out on Saturday with players coming into the team who'll want to impress ...

... I'm going for the same score and will be shocked if we don't win.

Our first team is much too good and this is the point of no return for us imo.

 

We really need to kick on now and move up the table. Jones impressed me and with Wright coming back in we should be solid at the back. Comfortable 0-2 win for me.

 

Same as Tuesday night, I HOPE!!!

Bart

 

Took a draw and a win on pens for us on Tuesday but I was impressed how we started and how we finished when LJ made the 4 subs so I’m going for another away win

 

3 points needed, keep us in the mix.

 

Great thread as usual RTB, and I like your line up, but I expect LJ might be a little more cautious at first. So its cut and paste again for me too, I feel the squad will shade it over the 90 mins. as our bench is our strength, and am hoping for the same score, but would settle for any victory however tight, as long as we claim those vital 3 points. its OaU.

 

2-1 to us

If we lose it will give me great pleasure in blaming it on the poopy johns

 

Just a head up to anyone who’s looking to get a stream, maybe wait until the last minute, I work just south of the stadium and the weather has been absolute **** lately, so much rain.

We all saw the pitch from the live stream, or from the clubs highlights. I wouldn’t be surprised if it got postponed at this rate

 

Great thread as usual @RTB , would love to see Neil start a league game but can't see LJ going for it so probably Scowen in and I would swap Jones for Diamond but think the rest is spot on for me. I'm going for 2-0, Wyke and either McGeady or Jones. Fingers crossed the weather stays away or the groundsman works wonders with the pitch as I don't think we can afford to have a game postponed with all the other games coming thick and fast

 

Gotta keep on getting full results to move up this god-damn league, no excuses. We have plenty in our armoury, so away win

And thanks again for the great thread RTB

 

Great thread as always gents. Always difficult playing a team straight after beating them. They will no doubt be up for it and our mental approach to this game has to be spot on no thinking it’s easy just beat them. 1st goal could be crucial hopefully we get it and go on to win and get the 3 points we need. Confidence should be good and squad is looking stronger and with a bit of pace now. 1-2 prediction from me.

 

with the new lads playing expecting a win cant see any other outcome for this game we will be too strong for them. And thanks to RTB for his great thread yet gain

 

Tbf it be typical of our luck he would get the winner

 

Hope a win but head says a draw.

Hopefully I'm wrong and we win again.

 

Great rallying words from the gaffa, he's hoping his consistency comments come true.
2-0 to the lad's.
Hhaaawwwwwaaaaaayyyyyyyy the lads

 

cheers again RTB ...

never stick my neck out on predictions but i feel this game could really be decided by the pitch...3 days does not give them much time to work on it, have an idea our starters and subs will be a major additional factor, a really heavy pitch is an energy drain for players, shrewd (pacey?) subs might be a nice bonus.

hope we go a little 'all out' to get a goal up rather than be the ones chasing the game though.

 

RTB your are the zen master of these threads....brilliant as always.