Match Preview | Sunderland vs Brighton

Sunderland return to the Stadium of Light this Saturday, as they face Brighton in an important Premier League clash.

The hosts head into the fixture sitting around mid-table, while Brighton are just behind them and aiming to close the gap.

The sides played out a goalless draw earlier this season on the South Coast, highlighting how evenly-matched the teams have been.

Both teams have also shared 14 wins each across their 36 historical meetings, with eight draws between them.

Heading into Saturday’s contest…

Sunderland have picked up four points in their three last Premier League games with a win over Leeds United, a draw to Bournemouth and a home loss to Fulham.

Meanwhile, the Seagulls have won two of their last three games with wins over Brentford and Nottingham Forest and a narrow defeat to Arsenal.

Team News…

The Black Cats will go into the game without some key players including first-team choice goalkeeper Robin Roefs, meaning Melker Ellborg could continue between the posts, having featured in the previous two games for Sunderland against Leeds and Port Vale in the FA Cup last weekend.

Brighton arrive with several long-term injury concerns, including Adam Webster and Solly March, while Danny Welbeck has also recently struggled with a back issue.

With both teams pushing for consistency in the closing months of the season, Saturday’s clash could prove crucial in the race for a top-half finish.