Sunderland have officially turned a corner.
Their mesmeric form has placed them well in the hunt for promotion, going from winning two of their opening 14 matches under Phil Parkinson, to tasting just the solitary defeat in their previous 13 fixtures.
It’s been a fabulous run and they’ll be hoping that continues on Saturday afternoon when Bristol Rovers travel to the Stadium of Light.
Currently placed 13th in League One, they’ll arrive on Wearside with a goal difference of -7. If there was ever a positive to take, it would be Sunderland’s opponents’ inconsistencies.
Considering the Mackem’s fantastic run, you’d be forgiven for thinking that nothing needs to be changed.
However, they’ll be forced into making at least one change on Saturday. Beyond that, we also think Parkinson should make a further switch to his starting XI.
The first notable absentee is, of course, Bailey Wright.
Sunderland have confirmed that he is likely to miss 12 weeks and the rest of the season after suffering ankle ligament damage in the win over Oxford United.
The Australian has been a vital cog in Parkinson’s side, helping the Black Cats keep four clean sheets in their last five matches after arriving on loan from Bristol City.
With the 27-year-old missing, that means there is a chance for Alim Ozturk to come back into the fray as he starts ahead of new signing Tommy Smith. He’ll be hoping to replicate Wright’s performances in the backline while also ensuring Sunderland’s fabulous defensive record is kept intact.
No side have kept more clean sheets in England’s top four divisions than Parkinson’s men in 2020.
The other change comes in a forward area. If Sunderland could be guilty of one thing, it’s a failure to really put teams to the sword. Since the manager walked through the doors, they’ve only won three matches by a margin of three goals or more.
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With that in mind and the fact Charlie Wyke only has one strike in his last seven, Kyle Lafferty comes in for his first Sunderland start.
It’s not too unrealistic to suggest he’ll finally get an opportunity, especially considering the demanding fixture list in League One.
Meanwhile, Stewart Donald’s potential parting gift could be right in front of Sunderland’s eyes…
