Between them, Pompey and Sunderland can boast eight top-flight titles and four FA Cup triumphs. So it is fair to say Saturday’s contest between the sides at Fratton Park is one of the biggest in League One. It is the visitors who are currently enjoying the better start to the 2021/22 campaign and sit at the summit after nine games. Their opponents, meanwhile, have faltered after a bright opening and are down in 13th spot, aiming to end an eight-match run without a victory. Six of the Black Cats’ fixtures have taken place on home soil and they have won the lot – including Tuesday night’s 5-0 rout of Cheltenham. Their only defeat came on the road at Burton back in mid-August, while other away matches saw a draw with Fleetwood and success at MK Dons. Lee Johnson’s side are also League One’s only representatives in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup and will visit QPR later this month for a place in the quarter-finals. Both of last season’s meetings resulted in away victories, with John Marquis’ brace and a Marcus Harness goal securing a 3-1 triumph for the Blues on Wearside. TEAM NEWS Saturday’s game might come too soon for Arsenal loanee Miguel Azeez, who has returned to training following a groin injury. Skipper Clark Robertson (hip), Jayden Reid (knee) and Liam Vincent (shin) are all long-term absentees. Sunderland will be without Jordan Willis (knee) and Arbenit Xhemajli (knee), while there are doubts over Nathan Broadhead (hamstring), Dennis Cirkin (head), Callum Doyle (back), Lynden Gooch (foot) and Denver Hume (hamstring). HEAD TO HEAD Overall Pompey: 36 wins Sunderland: 40 wins 35 draws At Fratton Park Pompey: 25 wins Sunderland: 12 wins 18 draws TICKETS Fratton Park is full to capacity for Saturday’s game and no more tickets will be made available. Fans are advised to attend early. Please note that all parking has been pre-booked and there are no more spaces available in the club car park. OFFICIALS Referee: Ben Toner Assistants: Joseph Stokes and Garry Maskell Fourth Official: Michael Begley BETTING Sunderland are the 7/5 favourites with VBET to secure all three points, while Pompey can be backed at 19/10.
As I'm travelling back home from Devon tomorrow, I will not be able to post any updates for the match, as not due home until around 8 pm. Feel free to join in though
Your not a shìt team just on a shìt run. Hopefully that continues today I'll be very disappointed with a loss considering the difference in both teams forms atm but not the end of the world. Lot of games left. I'll take a draw away. Definitely want a win, especially against the likes of you since you'll probably be there or thereabouts come the end of the season
I trust you had a lovely time in Sunny Devon (pissing down today BTW). Hope you put the cream on first! please log in to view this image
Well, fortunately for us, Sunderland seem to have fielded their under 10's girls blind XI in the first half. I can't see any other way that we would be 3-0 up at half time against any-one else, going by recent games
Maybe the conditions had an impact, but I am very happy with the result. I think what this result proves is that there is not a great deal of difference in terms of ability between all.the.teams in this división. The promoted teams Will be those that can win at home on a regular basis, like Sunderland, and can win at least 10 away.
If I can be sentimental for a bit, this weekend last year I traveled up to Hampshire for what I didn't realise at the time would be the last time I'd ever see my mum in a lucid state. Indeed it was this day exactly that I got the train down so naturally this is not a weekend I've been looking forward to... But then, for Portsmouth to get such a surprising result on the very day and a performance which is completely out of character of the last few weeks, and Farnborough won too. It's like, someone up there is looking down and it was kinda meant to be, you know what I mean? Sorry for be so sentimental, up the blues
Listened to the match on Express FM on the way home from Devon. Can't believe we hammered them 4-0, after our recent poor performances. Sounded like four excellent goals, and there could have been more ! We were better accustomed to the awful weather conditions, and I couldn't believe what I was hearing on the radio when the commentators stated that Sunderland's manager and coaches kept hassling the fourth official to get the match abandoned, and throughout the second half quite a few of their players were continuously whinging to the referee to stop the game because of the weather conditions. Luckily, he refused to do so !!