Sunderland host Fulham at the Stadium of Light in a Fourth Round replay in 2022-23 FA Cup.
Having contested a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage, the winner of this replay will host Leeds United in the Fifth Round live on BBC One on Tuesday 28 February.
Team News
Dennis Cirkin will be absent for Sunderland as he follows concussion protocols, following an incident in their 1-1 draw at Millwall last weekend.
Luke O’Nien is set to return after he completed a three-match suspension.
Joe Anderson, Joe Gelhardt, Isaac Lihadji (all ineligible), Corry Evans (knee), Lynden Gooch (hip), Elliot Embleton (ankle) and Ross Stewart (Achilles) remain absent.
Fulham manager, Marco Silva will rotate his squad for the trip north with Tom Cairney, Manor Solomon and Harry Wilson amongst those looking for a start.
Neeskens Kebano remains absent with an Achilles injury.
When is Kick-Off?
Sunderland host Fulham at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday 8 February at 7:45pm GMT, live on BBC One.
Stat Attack
- Sunderland have lost just one of five previous FA Cup meetings against Fulham (W2, D2, L1).
- Fulham have won just one of three previous FA Cup trips to Sunderland (W1, D1, L1), although they drew 0-0 in their only previous FA Cup clash played at Stadium of Light in January 2015.
- This FA Cup fixture has seen just one of three previous tie go to a replay and Sunderland prevailed on that occasion – 3-1 away at Fulham in February 2015.
- Sunderland have won each of their two previous home clashes against a London-based club this season (W1, D1).
- Excluding penalty shootouts, Fulham are unbeaten in three of their last five FA Cup replays (W2, D1, L2).
Prediction
Having battled to a clinical draw at Millwall last weekend, Sunderland were unlucky to not concede in the first half amidst gutsy defending so I do expect them to try and play tighter at the back despite likely squad rotation.
Tony Mowbray’s Black Cats though will need to be at their attacking best if they’re to cause a cupset and set up a romantic Fifth Round tie at home to Leeds, which is what most neutrals would want given that it is exactly 50 seasons since they met in the final in 1973.
Fulham meanwhile are continuing to struggle to find their scoring boots after a recent slip in form but they do have depth and quality to cause serious issues here, although their end product will need to be tidier than it was at Chelsea if they’re to avoid the lottery of a penalty shootout.
I am therefore anticipating a tight contest between two decent teams but Fulham really should get the job done if players like Aleksandr Mitrovic and Wilson start.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Fulham
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