roker report 
09-04-2024 05:56
09-04-2024 05:56
Match Preview: Can Sunderland throw a spanner in the works at the top of the table?
Tickets: Tickets have sold out.
TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available on Sky Sports Football in the UK & Ireland.
Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)
Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com! The build-up...
Whilst Saturday’s performance was a marked improvement on the one we put in against struggling Blackburn, we still didn’t put our chances away and if anything I came away from the game content, but a little disappointed because we should have won.
What I can be certain of is that we will not be as fortunate this evening against a Leeds United side who know that dropping any points at this stage in the season could dramatically change their chances of earning automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
They lost at the hands of Coventry City on Saturday - with former Sunderland man Ellis Simms getting himself on the scoresheet for Mark Robins’ side - and Daniel Farke’s men will be out for blood tonight as they seek to put things right and get back on track.
We really haven’t got much - if anything - left to play for other than pride really, and I’d like to see Mike Dodds make use of his squad over the remaining games so we can maybe see what some of these lads can do. Is Pembele any good? Could Chris Rigg cement his place in the XI not just now, but next season? Can Adil Aouchiche build on some better recent performances and live up to the hype? Can Aji Alese get back in the team and stay fit?
All of this stuff still feels fairly important even if the results don’t matter for too much at present, so let’s hope tonight we see a Sunderland side not only motivated to do their best for the fans in the sold-out away end at Elland Road, but also for themselves — ending the season on a high wouldn’t completely mend broken fences, but it would ensure we head into the summer in the best possible position. That all must start tonight. The betting...
The bookies have the Lads at 9/1 for the win, with Leeds priced at 1/3 to pick up all three points and the draw is 9/2. Last time we met... at Elland Road
7th April 2018
EFL Championship
Leeds 1-1 Sunderland
[Pablo Hernandez 72’ — Paddy McNair 48’]
Leeds: Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Beradi, Phillips, Jansson, O’Connor, Alioski, Viera, Lasogga, Saiz, Hernandez. Subs: Lonergan, Pearce, Nicell, Anita, Roofe, Grot, Ekuban.
Sunderland: Camp, Love, Wilson, Cattermole, O’Shea, Kone, Gooch, McNair, Fletcher, Honeyman, McGeady. Subs: Steele, Matthews, Clarke-Salter, Ejaria, McManaman, Lua Lua, Asoro.
Attendance: 30,461
Played For Both...
Michael Bridges
Bridges broke onto the scene as a 17-year-old during the Lads title winning season of 1995-96 under Peter Reid, scoring important goals to help us over the line and secure promotion to the Premier League.
After struggling to become a permanent fixture in the starting XI behind the Quinn/Phillips partnership, he moved to Leeds United for a record fee of £5m in 1999. Injuries would blight his five years at Elland Road, which resulted in Bridges being released in 2004.
He would return to Sunderland in 2004 for a brief spell that was one of many moves before he retired in 2015.
TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available on Sky Sports Football in the UK & Ireland.
Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)
Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com! The build-up...
Whilst Saturday’s performance was a marked improvement on the one we put in against struggling Blackburn, we still didn’t put our chances away and if anything I came away from the game content, but a little disappointed because we should have won.
What I can be certain of is that we will not be as fortunate this evening against a Leeds United side who know that dropping any points at this stage in the season could dramatically change their chances of earning automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
They lost at the hands of Coventry City on Saturday - with former Sunderland man Ellis Simms getting himself on the scoresheet for Mark Robins’ side - and Daniel Farke’s men will be out for blood tonight as they seek to put things right and get back on track.
We really haven’t got much - if anything - left to play for other than pride really, and I’d like to see Mike Dodds make use of his squad over the remaining games so we can maybe see what some of these lads can do. Is Pembele any good? Could Chris Rigg cement his place in the XI not just now, but next season? Can Adil Aouchiche build on some better recent performances and live up to the hype? Can Aji Alese get back in the team and stay fit?
All of this stuff still feels fairly important even if the results don’t matter for too much at present, so let’s hope tonight we see a Sunderland side not only motivated to do their best for the fans in the sold-out away end at Elland Road, but also for themselves — ending the season on a high wouldn’t completely mend broken fences, but it would ensure we head into the summer in the best possible position. That all must start tonight. The betting...
The bookies have the Lads at 9/1 for the win, with Leeds priced at 1/3 to pick up all three points and the draw is 9/2. Last time we met... at Elland Road
7th April 2018
EFL Championship
Leeds 1-1 Sunderland
[Pablo Hernandez 72’ — Paddy McNair 48’]
Leeds: Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Beradi, Phillips, Jansson, O’Connor, Alioski, Viera, Lasogga, Saiz, Hernandez. Subs: Lonergan, Pearce, Nicell, Anita, Roofe, Grot, Ekuban.
Sunderland: Camp, Love, Wilson, Cattermole, O’Shea, Kone, Gooch, McNair, Fletcher, Honeyman, McGeady. Subs: Steele, Matthews, Clarke-Salter, Ejaria, McManaman, Lua Lua, Asoro.
Attendance: 30,461
Played For Both...
Michael Bridges
Bridges broke onto the scene as a 17-year-old during the Lads title winning season of 1995-96 under Peter Reid, scoring important goals to help us over the line and secure promotion to the Premier League.
After struggling to become a permanent fixture in the starting XI behind the Quinn/Phillips partnership, he moved to Leeds United for a record fee of £5m in 1999. Injuries would blight his five years at Elland Road, which resulted in Bridges being released in 2004.
He would return to Sunderland in 2004 for a brief spell that was one of many moves before he retired in 2015.