Sunderland vs Doncaster preview: League One clash live on Sky Sports Football
Watch Sunderland vs Doncaster live on Sky Sports Football on Saturday from 5pm. Kick-off is at 5.15pm
Friday 19 April 2019 23:10, UK
Chris Maguire could return to contention for the first time since February when Sunderland host fellow promotion-chasers Doncaster.
Maguire has missed the last 11 games with a fractured fibula but is expected to be able to take his place in the matchday squad.
His return could be timely, with Aiden McGeady still a doubt with a foot/ankle problem and Lynden Gooch (hamstring) and Dylan McGeouch (muscle strain) still missing. But Lee Cattermole, who was an unused substitute for last Saturday's 5-4 home defeat by Coventry, is fit. However, Adam Matthews and Reece James remain on the casualty list.
Doncaster boss Grant McCann will have midfielder Ben Whiteman available to him for the first time in a month. Whiteman has sat out the last five games with an ankle injury but has trained all week and is ready to return.
He will be joined by striker John Marquis, who missed last weekend's 2-0 win over Plymouth under the Football Association's concussion protocol, but has since returned to full training. The game will come too soon, however, for defender Tom Anderson, who has recovered from a calf injury, but is likely to be held in reserve for Tuesday night's home clash with Accrington.
Opta stats
Sunderland have won each of their three league encounters with Doncaster, winning both games in 1987-88 and a 1-0 victory in October.
Live EFL
Doncaster won their first-ever clash against Sunderland in all competitions, winning 2-0 at Roker Park in an FA Cup third round match.
Sunderland are unbeaten in their last 11 league games on Good Friday (W6 D5), last losing 0-1 to Ipswich Town in April 1969.
After a 14-game winless run on Good Friday between April 1962 and April 2017, Doncaster won last season on Good Friday, beating Blackpool 2-1 at Bloomfield Road.
Sunderland's Charlie Wyke has been directly involved in four goals in his last five appearances (2 goals, 2 assists), including a goal and an assist last time out.
Prutton's prediction
Sunderland looked an absolute shoo-in for automatic promotion a couple of weeks ago, but a couple of slip-ups in a row - including an incredible 5-4 reverse against Coventry - have allowed Barnsley, Portsmouth and even Charlton right back into it.
Doncaster are right back on form as well, and will prove a stern challenge at the Stadium of Light as they look to book their own play-off spot. It will be a tight game, but I'll back Sunderland to edge it.
David Prutton predicts: 2-1 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
