da wazamba： Managerless Sunderland travel to the Midlands to face fellow struggles Wolves at Molineux just 72 hours after sacking Steve Bruce following a disastrous start to the season.
da leao： Former Black Cats boss Mick McCarthy suffered a similar fate at the Stadium of Light five years ago and will take great pleasure in adding to the misery on Wearside. The Wolves boss saw optimism levels rise in the Black Country after winning their first two games and putting in some dynamic performances. However their next 11 games saw them win just once and slide down the Premier League table to 17th with that victory coming against Wigan at the start of November. McCarthy has now found himself under increasing pressure to turn things around at Molineux with supporters not prepared to tolerate another morale sapping relegation battle. Defensively they need to improve tenfold with summer signing and captain Roger Johnson failing to provide a stable presence in the back four and stop goals flowing in. Wolves have conceded 23 goals in their 13 games so far and need to get back to basics with their defending with the partnership of Johnson and Christophe Berra proving ineffective against the ruthless Premier League forwards. They also need some big performances in the final third against Sunderland this week with winger Matt Jarvis, in particular, not showing the kind of form that won him an England cap earlier in the year.
The Black Cats go into the game without a manager in the dugout after chairman Ellis Short dispensed with the services of Bruce after two years in charge. Three home wins in 2011 and an appalling start to the season saw the former Birmingham and Wigan manager relieved of his duties with the club lying two places above the relegation zone. Defeat against the Latics last week was the final nail in Bruces coffin with his already sour relationship with the clubs supporters completely evaporating as they turned on him once and for all. It’s no surprise that he find’s himself out a job after seeing Sunderland slip to 16th in recent weeks following a run of one win in their last eight games and a series of displays that fell way below the standard expected on Wearside. It was always going to be a challenge once Darren Bent left in January but to lose Danny Wellbeck and Asamoah Gyan just a few months after left the club without first choice centre forward. £30 million was spent on improving the squad in the summer with the former boss opting to spend £8 million on teenager Connor Wickham and unknown South Korean Ji Dong Won. Nicklas Bendntner was also brought in on loan but has failed to suitably plug the gap and it has ultimately Bruce paid the penalty. His tactics often left Sunderland looking directionless on the pitch at times this season and it has cost them dearly and whoever takes charge for the trip to Wolves will need to get the defence structured and the midfield disciplined. Getting Bendtner scoring and Sessegnon purring in behind the Danish strike will be key to the Black Cats starting the post-Bruce era with a bang.
Wolves – 17th
Last Five
Lost 3-0 v Chelsea (A), Lost 2-1 v Everton (A)Won 3-1 v Wigan (H), Lost 3-1 v Manchester City (A), Drew 2-2 v Swansea (H)
Potential Starting X11: 1. W. Hennessey 23. R. Zubar 14. R. Johnson [C] 16. C. Berra 3. G Elokobi 11. S. Ward 4. D. Edwards 20. N. Milijas 17. M. Jarvis* 29. K. Doyle
Injury News: McCarthy will be without key defender Richard Stearman for the visit of Sunderland whilst Kevin Foley has been ruled out until Janaury with an ankle injury.
Key Player: Matt Jarvis
It’s been a disappointing season from the Wolves winger who has looked a shadow of the player that made his England debut earlier in the year. Jarvis’ performances this season have been well below par and fairly inconsistent with his brilliance on the wing only appearing in flashes. A display worthy of an England cap would be welcomed on Saturday against Sunderland as his club strives to move clear of the drop zone.
Match Fact: This will be only the fifth time Woves have met Sunderland in the Premier League the omens definitely favour McCarthy’s side. Wanderers have won their last three games against the Black Cats and would take great pleasure in making that four in a row.
Sunderland – 16th
Last Five: Lost 2-1 v Wigan (H), Drew 0-0 v Fulham (H0, Lost 1-0 v Manchester United (A), Drew 2-2 v Aston Villa (H), Won 2-0 v Bolton (A)
Potential Starting X11: 24. K. Westwood 16. J. O’Shea [C] 4. M. Turner 6. W. Brown 2. P. Bardsley 7. A. S. Larsson 6. L. Cattermole 16. J. Colback 11.K. Richardson 28. S. Sessegnon* 52. N. Bendtner
Injury News: Managerless Sunderland are still without key players Simon Mignolet and Connor Wickham whilst Fraizer Campbell remains out for the long-term.
Key Player: Stephane Sessegnon
A rare bright spot in what has been an awful start to the season for Sunderland the former PSG midfielder’s importance in the side has soared. The departure of Asamoah Gyan in the summer has left Sessegnon as the only real flair player in the Black Cats squad and has proved a capable partner for Bendtner up front. His agility on the ball and forward thinking nature will come in handy against Wolves on Sunday.
Match Fact: Sunderland first met Wolves in 1890 – a staggering 121 years ago! Since then they have visited Molineux 60 times since then but have emerged victorious from the Midlands just 15 times.
Last Time at Molineux
Wolves 3-2 Sunderland
Foley, 51 Hunt, 81 Ebanks-Blake, 89
Bent, 67 Wellbeck, 77
Attendance: 25,112
Referee: Mike Jones
PREDICTION
Both sides have struggled to string a decent set of results together this season and find themselves fighting to pull away from the drop zone. Sunderland sacked manager Steve Bruce on Wednesday after their 2-1 defeat to Wigan and the Black Cats will travel to the Midlands without a leader in the dugout – something that could prove disastrous. Wolves are also in a slump and need to start being more ruthless at home having lost three out of six at Molieneux. This could be considered a game that will shape both clubs seasons going into the festive period.
Score: 3-2
[ad_pod id=’writer-2′ align=’right’]