Sunderland interim manager Mike Dodds could take charge of his final game today against Bristol City, with new rumours suggesting the Black Cats have finally found a replacement for Tony Mowbray that will be announced imminently.
Michael Beale is believed to be the manager deemed worthy of coming in and taking the pressurised job, as was reported by Fabrizio Romano yesterday alongside various other media outlets.
Dodds will want to go out with a bang therefore if these rumours are true, fielding this predicted lineup for the trip to Ashton Gate…
1
GK – Anthony Patterson
Anthony Patterson will remain as Dodds’ first-team goalkeeper for the trip down to Bristol, Sunderland’s trusted number-one shot-stopper is yet to miss a minute this season even under the interim manager.
2
CB – Pierre Ekwah
Setting his Black Cats side up in a 3-4-3 formation for the triumphant 1-0 win over Leeds last match, Pierre Ekwah could replace Jenson Seelt as one of three key centre-back figures.
Seelt was impressive against Daniel Farke’s tricky Whites – winning five duels in total, as per Sofascore – but Dodds could well be intrigued to see how Ekwah would do from the start at the back in place of the Dutch defender.
Ekwah was solid when substituted on in this role against Leeds, making two interceptions in a short but sweet 18-minute cameo.
3
CB – Daniel Ballard
Sunderland’s colossus at the back in Daniel Ballard will also be retained by Dodds for the game at Ashton Gate, Ballard misplacing just two of his passes in the game versus Leeds whilst also winning one ground duel.
4
CB – Luke O’Nien
Luke O’Nien was also resilient at the back up against Leeds’ intimidating attacking players such as Crysencio Summerville mid-week, only losing one of his eight duels on the day.
Wearing the captain’s armband, O’Nien will want to play the role of dependable leader again with Dodds wanting to add another win to his interim resume with the Black Cats.
5
RM – Trai Hume
Pushed further forward by Dodds in an ingenious move, Trai Hume was a man possessed against the Whites with more freedom to attack at will knowing that he had three rock-solid centre-backs behind him doing the dirty work.
Hume also rolled up his sleeves when necessary, clearing a shot off the line in the contest to keep the clean sheet and the 1-0 win secure.
6
CM – Jobe Bellingham
Jobe Bellingham continues to be a star player for Sunderland despite only being 18 years old, the teenager scoring the only goal of the game versus Leeds to seal a slim win.
The promising midfielder’s goal wasn’t an outrageous strike by any means, but it showcased Bellingham’s eagerness to help his team no matter what – bundling an effort into the net after being found by teammate Alex Pritchard.
Bellingham will just be keen to keep progressing and reaching new heights with Sunderland away from all the outside praise he’s receiving, hoping to score again at Ashton Gate today.
7
CM – Dan Neil
Dan Neil will also most likely start away at Bristol in Dodds’ potential final game in charge, Sunderland’s reliable number 24 solid in the Leeds win.
Only misplacing three passes at the Stadium of Light in this one, Neil will hope he can add another assist to his season tally of two versus Liam Manning’s Robins with a pinpoint ball hopefully unlocking the hosts.
8
LM – Niall Huggins
Sunderland’s Welsh number two would have been pleased playing at left wing for the Leeds game, Niall Huggins naturally a left winger but had been played further back in defence by Mowbray.
Huggins was ineffective however against the visitors from West Yorkshire further up the pitch, only winning 50% of his duels whilst failing to serve up one accurate cross in the game to further expose the Leeds defence.
The adaptable 22-year-old will just hope he can bounce back from this Leeds off-day against the Robins if selected, helping his team in some capacity to pull off three victories in a row.
9
RW – Patrick Roberts
Dropped by Dodds for the game mid-week, the short-term Sunderland boss could bring Patrick Roberts back into the team today after a dismal showing from Roberts’ stand-in Abdoullah Ba against Leeds.
Ba’s performance was passive throughout an unmemorable 59 minutes on the Stadium of Light turf, failing to register a single shot on the opposing goal whilst only winning three of his nine ground duels.
His poor day at the office saw Sunderland Echo journalist Phil Smith give Ba a 5/10 rating in his post-match article after the Whites win, saying that the young Frenchman’s final ball just ‘let him down.’
In stark contrast, Roberts offered much more than Ba going forward in a promising half an hour or so off the bench.
The 26-year-old won one more duel than his counterpart, whilst also being credited with a key pass. Therefore, it should be a no-brainer selection decision for Dodds to bring back in Roberts to the first team fold today.
10
ST – Alex Pritchard
Alex Pritchard started as a makeshift striker figure under Dodds versus Leeds, helping himself to an assist for his efforts.
That was Pritchard’s third assist under the interim boss in just two games, the 30-year-old’s fading Sunderland career exploding back into life over the past few matches.
With Nazariy Rusyn and other strikers at the Stadium of Light still putting in underwhelming displays up top, Pritchard will more than likely start over those reserve attackers again for the game against Bristol City.
11
LW – Jack Clarke
Jack Clarke will hope he can score in Dodds’ potential final game as boss, the electric Black Cats winger now goalless in his two last matches after scoring in Mowbray’s last match in charge away at Millwall.
It’s not through a lack of trying however, the 23-year-old hit two efforts off target against his former club Leeds mid-week.
Clarke will just hope he can be more accurate in front of goal versus the Robins, scoring his 11th goal of the season potentially at Ashton Gate.
Sunderland predicted lineup vs Bristol City in full: GK – Patterson; CB – Ekwah, CB – Ballard, CB – O’Nien; RM – Hume, CM – Bellingham, CM – Neil, LM – Huggins; RW – Roberts, ST – Pritchard, LW – Clarke
