Sunderland vs Cardiff City predictions: Black Cats to stay on play-off track
&w=707&quality=100)
- Sunderland have lost only one of their 17 home league matches this season
- Cardiff have won only one of their last 19 away league games
- Recommended bet: Sunderland to win & both teams to score
A place in the Championship play-offs is starting to look like the desired destination for Sunderland, who are eight points adrift of automatic promotion with 11 games to play but comfortably 13 points clear of seventh-placed Bristol City.
The Black Cats snapped a two-game losing sequence to win 2-1 at Sheffield Wednesday last Friday and they will be expected to follow up against 21st-placed Cardiff, who are only five points clear of the relegation zone.
The Bluebirds have won just one of their last six league matches and they have been utterly woeful on their Championship travels, suggesting a tough afternoon awaits them at the Stadium of Light this weekend.
On the whole, Regis Le Bris' hosts have excelled on their own patch this season, although they suffered their first league defeat at the Stadium of Light against Hull last time out and will be keen to make amends.
Team news
Sunderland remain without long-term absentees Niall Huggins and Ajibola Elese, while Ian Poveda is a doubt after missing the latest 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
Tommy Watson has returned to full training and is available, but Enzo Le Fee, Dan Ballard and Liverpool loanee Jayden Danns are missing through injury.
Struggling Cardiff must manage without the services of goalkeeper Jak Alnwick, Will Alves, Ollie Tanner and Jesper Daland, while David Turnbull is still some way off making a comeback.
The stats
After going unbeaten in their first 16 home league games this season, Sunderland lost 1-0 to Hull last time out at the Stadium of Light.
Cardiff have won just one of their last 19 away Championship matches.
Sunderland have won each of their last two league games against Cardiff.
Both teams have scored in 11 of Cardiff’s last 14 league games, while the net has bulged at both ends in five of Sunderland’s last seven.
Both teams have scored in only one of the last eight meetings between these sides.
Prediction
Sunderland may already be prioritising their place in the play-offs as the top two places in the division now look out of reach.
They will want to go into the end of the season finale in peak form and should be targeting maximum points against a relegation-threatened Cardiff.
The Black Cats have suffered only one home league defeat this season and it would be a big surprise were they to slip-up when entertaining the Bluebirds, who have only one win from 17 away trips.
That said, the clean sheets have dried up for Sunderland and they have been breached in six of their last seven matches, suggesting the visitors may be able to notch a consolation strike.
Cardiff lost 2-1 at home to third-placed Burnley on Tuesday and the only time they have failed to score in their last 14 league games was in a 7-0 drubbing away at leaders Leeds.
Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!
Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!
