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Roker Report Predictions: Preston NE vs SAFC (League Cup)

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Roker Report Predictions: Preston NE vs SAFC (League Cup)

‘The Champion’ Martin Wanless predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 0 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Chris Rigg

It will be interesting to see what kind of team we put on the field tonight.

Considering we play next Sunday and don’t have a midweek game the following week, and the fact that we are so early in the RLB’s reign, I believe we will see a strong team.

That said, I think a few players will be rested as we will give game time to 4 or 5 players who were on the bench on Saturday, and I think one of them – Chris Rigg – will score the first goal for us.

Good luck in the cup race!

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Malc Dugdale predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 0 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Pierre Ekwah

I expect a lot of changes for this cup game and whether he stays and fights for a place in midfield on merit, goes on loan or even sells, I think there’s a good chance Pierre will be there in our beautiful new kit.

The sight of Pierre smashing a thunder baster with his left pin from 30 yards whilst wearing our new kit will be worth the wait since the last one. He wasn’t as effective last season and I’d love to see him get back to his best.

Preston could go either way after recent events – they could become a total basket case of a rudderless ship, or they could emerge as a high-performing unit due to the shackles of their recently departed boss being removed. I hope the former is as close as Lowe’s departure, and I hope we move forward with a balance of us being too good, and them being all over the place organizationally.

A changed but solid SAFC 11 will find a way to me for a goal, leaving the wider squad rested for the next league encounter, our first home game against Sheff Weds next Sunday.

Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Jack Howe-Gingell predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 0 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Adil Aouchiche

After a fantastic start, I hope we don’t make too many changes so we can keep up the pace against Championship rivals Preston.

Preston have now gone 6 competitive games without scoring and have lost every game in that run. Unsurprisingly, Ryan Lowe has now either left his post or been sacked as a result, but you have to wonder why they waited so long? Annoyingly, this may give the Preston players a boost as he was said to be a bit unpopular.

It will be good for the few changes that happen to make a run at it, as I see a number of players pushing for a starting spot, particularly with Rigg, Aouchiche and Mundle. I hope we keep Mayenda too. He missed a big chance at the weekend but has been working hard and a goal would do him wonders.

In a way it’s nice that our next league game against Sheff Wed is on Sunday as it gives us a bit more breathing room and the lads should still have plenty of recovery time. Go in, get the win and go home.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images

Will Jones predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Nazariy Rusyn

After a solid start, I would expect both teams to make a number of changes, probably down to full 11s.

I believe our second team will be marginally superior, and everyone is keen to show why they deserve to be called up for the weekend.

It won’t be a fun game, it will be very confusing and I wouldn’t care about anything that happens.

I wouldn’t mind if we just went in, saving our legs and any potential injuries, but I see us keeping the momentum going and going into the weekend with two wins against champion teams.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

Matty Foster predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Chris Rigg

It was an excellent start to the season with a win away at Cardiff. Now we move on to the League Cup tonight where we face a managerless Preston.

I expected some managerial casualties this season, but not after just one game!

Will that help us, or will they feel refreshed now that they’ve gotten rid of what seemed like a controversial figure?

I foresee some changes, which is not a bad thing. Cup competitions are always a bonus, and the sole focus will undoubtedly be on our promotion aspirations.

I’m going to bet on another win, but this time on penalties, and I’m rooting for our guys to win.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

The Davies bomber predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 0 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Adil Aouchiche

Well, who would have thought that we would be playing against a team without a coach, less than four days into the season!

Something is clearly wrong at Preston and the knock-on effect on the players will certainly be noticeable. You can’t go through an entire pre-season schedule and work, have your manager walk out after the first game and it not affect you. The irony is that, on paper at least, Preston haven’t had such a bad pre-season, and couldn’t really wait too long to face Sheffield United on their return from the Premier League.

Whatever the logic, I expect it to play in our favour, regardless of what changes RLB make to the team that sailed comfortably on the weekend trip across the Welsh border. We have a wealth of talent that wasn’t really seen during the season opener, and I expect to see Ba, Auchiche, Rigg, Ekwah and possibly Mundle in the starting line-up too. Regardless of who comes in or out, I expect us to have plenty for a Preston side that’s completely lost, so it’s another 2-0 away win for me and an opening goal containing a bit of French va-va-voom!

Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Gary Winter predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Adil Aouchiche

After a winning start, the positivity is returning. Admittedly, it wasn’t the dominant, free-flowing football we’ve come to expect to see in due course under Regis Le Bris, and even he admitted it wasn’t in the game plan to give the ball away so much against Cardiff.

However, now that the first game has been played, with no pressure, we have a good opportunity to progress in the English League Cup, in what for me is a game of little importance in the bigger picture.

Having been knocked out of this competition in the first round for the last two seasons, I am confident that we can end this unwanted run and progress.

The weekend’s results perhaps offer little clue as to what to expect from us or Preston, as I expect to see some rotation, with chances given to several who missed out on the opener to impress. With new faces eager to stake their claim to start the next league game (and the first home game of the season), I’m predicting another away win for the lads and continuing their early momentum.

Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Brett Lyons-Davis predicts…

Score prediction: Preston NE 0 Sunderland 3

Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Romaine Mundle

I’m on holiday at the moment and have only seen two minutes of highlights from the weekend, but in true Sunderland fan fashion I’m going from feeling less than optimistic before Cardiff to feeling totally “HMS Piss the league” after a win and now I think we can throw in a cup run as an added bonus.

I can see some changes to this one. RLB will give some of the lads on the fringes one last chance to see if they will make the team or play their football elsewhere in the coming weeks. These lads will need to impress if they are to stay on board.

Young Mundle will score first in a routine win for me.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Getty Images

Last game predictions

A few lads backed us to win in Cardiff as can be seen below.

No one said the first goal was scored by the club’s new captain, and no one marked the goal as a 2-0 victory.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

With one point for a correct score for four of the boys, and therefore nothing for the boys who sat on the fence and declared a draw, the initial table for 2024-25 is as follows:

With all the events at Deepdale this week, most of the lads were looking for back-to-back wins, with just one draw.

Let’s hope the majority are right and we can start building an unbeaten run as Regis and his team continue to refine our style of play and optimise our preferred eleven substitutes, ready for when this star striker signs on.

How points are awarded

Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points for our match-by-match predictions:

  • Correct score = Three points
  • Correct result (but incorrect score) = One point
  • Sunderland’s first correct goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid decision)
  • Possible deductions for laziness and failure to submit on time = Two point deduction

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