Michael Beale will have breathed the biggest sigh of relief at full-time last time out versus Hull City, his new Sunderland team victorious on their travels courtesy of a Jack Clarke strike in the second half.
It was a deserved first win for Beale in the Black Cats hot seat, the visitors registering 17 shots on goal over the course of the full 90 minutes with Clarke thankfully sparing blushes late on.
Related
Sunderland could give Clarke new role by signing “magic” Dack replacement
This “magic” £9m-rated gem could be the answer to Sunderland’s goalscoring woes.
Yet, despite Sunderland travelling back up to the Stadium of Light three points better off on Boxing Day, Beale could tinker with his lineup slightly for a tough test away at Rotherham United who also won their last encounter in the Championship.
Here’s what the Sunderland lineup could look like for the game versus the Millers, with Bradley Dack dropping out of the starting eleven…
1
GK – Anthony Patterson
Anthony Patterson firmly put a shaky performance in Beale’s debut match versus Coventry City behind him against Hull, completing six saves in total – as per Sofascore – to thwart dangermen such as Aaron Connolly and Liam Delap for the hosts and pick up a clean sheet.
2
RB – Trai Hume
Trai Hume will also start again at right-back after an impressive display on the road, completing six tackles in total to help Patterson behind him register a clean sheet.
Moreover, Hume was lively venturing forward with one off-target attempt on the Tigers net whilst also completing six successful ground duels.
Beale will want his Northern Irish right-back to put in another solid display against Rotherham to help Sunderland make it two wins on the bounce.
3
CB – Daniel Ballard
It was another imperious display by Daniel Ballard at the back last game too, meaning his spot in the side is set in stone.
Registering six clearances in the game to nullify Hull advancing forward, Ballard was also unerringly calm on the ball in tight spots of the pitch – only misplacing one of 55 passes in the entire contest at the MKM Stadium.
4
CB – Luke O’Nien
Luke O’Nien also shone alongside his centre-back partner in Ballard, showing all the qualities of a leader as Sunderland’s captain.
Winning six duels in the game to shore up the defence, O’Nien also showed his midfield capabilities with ten accurate long balls in the game to ease pressure on the Black Cats’ goal.
5
LB – Jenson Seelt
Filling in at left-back again with Niall Huggins stretchered off against the Sky Blues, Jenson Seelt didn’t look out of place or uncomfortable by the task of playing full-back against Liam Rosenior’s men on Boxing Day.
The Dutch defender helped out his rigid back four admirably, launching into three tackles in total to ensure Beale’s men came away from the game with a clean sheet and a narrow win for their troubles.
Seelt’s individual display was praised by football journalist Andy Tomlinson of the Roker Report after the game was up, handing out a 7/10 player rating to the young Black Cats man who was ‘always comfortable on the ball’ with his Dad also watching on from the stands proudly.
6
CM – Pierre Ekwah
Pierre Ekwah will also more than likely start away at Rotherham tomorrow night, Sunderland’s number 39 largely quiet at the MKM Stadium last game but didn’t let his team down in any capacity.
Amassing 66 touches in a holding role away at Hull, Ekwah will hope he can be more impactful receiving the ball against Rotherham with a goal or an assist next to his name come full-time in South Yorkshire.
7
CM – Dan Neil
Dan Neil was the more animated performer out of the two holding midfielders against the Tigers, accumulating three key passes in the 1-0 win.
One of those key passes assisted Jack Clarke’s game-winning goal as the clock ticked down, Neil instrumental as a creative spark centrally whilst Ekwah remained conservative.
8
RM – Patrick Roberts
Patrick Roberts faded in and out of the contest against Rosenior’s hosts, firing two shots at the Hull goal in a game that saw him blow hot and cold before being hauled off the pitch by Beale for Alex Pritchard to get a run-out.
Roberts’ spot in the side should be safe regardless of his mixed time on the pitch versus Hull, the 26-year-old keen to be a difference maker against Rotherham tomorrow evening.
9
CAM – Adil Aouchiche
The first change to Beale’s starting eleven could see Adil Aouchiche come into the starting eleven for Dack, with Jobe Bellingham pushed further up the field in the process to lead the line as a sole striker.
Dack’s frustrating time in a Black Cats strip to date continues, substituted off just shy of half-time owing to an injury concern.
Aouchiche was a livewire in Dack’s place when introduced into the contest and has played his way into the lineup subsequently, the young Frenchman registering three shots on goal in a bid to make the win more convincing.
Once referred to as a “little genius” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig during his Paris St. Germain youth days, the £7k-per-week man – as per Capology – has shown in glimpses his obvious pedigree with a goal and an assist notched up from limited game-time at the Stadium of Light.
10
LM – Jack Clarke
Clarke stole all the headlines as the Sunderland hero once more in this one, the toothless Black Cats attack bailed out again by the ex-Tottenham Hotspur winger, having dazzled Hull defenders with a weaving run before firing home the eventual winner late in the second half.
Clarke’s standout display on the road saw the skilful winger pick up an 8.9 Sofascore rating as a result, notching up six successful dribble attempts and four key passes on top of his decisive strike.
11
ST – Jobe Bellingham
Beale will still be racking his brain working out who to start up top for the Black Cats regularly, a whole plethora of options available to him.
Yet, with the blunt nature of the Sunderland strikers continuing on with zero goals between them still, the teenage Bellingham could be pushed further up the pitch to play in the striker position against Rotherham tomorrow night.
Managing four goals this season, Bellingham and Beale will hope he can add a fifth to his ever-increasing tally for the club against the Millers to justify this positional switch.
Sunderland predicted lineup vs Rotherham United in full: GK – Patterson; RB – Hume, CB – Ballard, CB – O’Nien, LB – Seelt; CM – Ekwah, CM – Neil; RM – Roberts, CAM – Aouchiche, LM – Clarke; ST – Bellingham
