Saturday 14 March 2015 21:35, UK
Sunderland and Aston Villa will look to take a giant stride towards Premier League survival when the two relegation-threatened sides meet at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.
The Black Cats have won just one of their last eight league games, are without a win in six in all competitions and, with just four Premier League victories to their name this season, they are in desperate need of a positive result.
So too are their fans. Sunderland rank joint-lowest in the amount of home league victories this season, level with bottom side Leicester City.
Victory on Saturday would giving their home fans something to cheer about but, perhaps more importantly, it would see them open up a four-point gap over Saturday’s opponents in the lower reaches of the table as the race for safety intensifies.
Villa will head to Wearside buoyant having reached their first FA Cup semi-final in five years with a 2-0 victory over local rivals West Brom - their second win over the Baggies in four days.
Chief to their revival under new manager Tim Sherwood has been the form of Manchester City loanee Scott Sinclair, who has scored three goals in seven appearances following his move to Villa Park.
Villa held on for a point when the sides met in December following Fabian Delph's straight red card minutes into the second half.
Team news
Sunderland are without the suspended Lee Cattermole after he picked up his 10th booking of the season in the recent draw at Hull and was handed an automatic two-match ban.
Adam Johnson remains suspended by the club while Emanuele Giaccherini (ankle) and Will Buckley (knee) are both ruled out.
Christian Benteke will return to the Villa squad for their crucial relegation battle at Sunderland.
The striker missed the FA Cup quarter-final win over West Brom with a hip injury but boss Sherwood confirmed he will travel to Wearside.
Ron Vlaar (calf) will be assessed but Kieran Richardson (calf) is a doubt. Aly Cissokho (groin) is a likely absentee and Philippe Senderos (calf), Joe Cole (hamstring), Nathan Baker (knee), Alan Hutton and Jack Grealish (both suspended) are out.
Libor Kozak has returned to full training after more than a year out with a broken leg, but he is not yet match fit.
Opta facts
Sunderland have failed to score in five of their last six Premier League matches against Villa, netting just one in the other encounter.
Gus Poyet’s side have also drawn a blank in three of their last four Premier League home matches.
Gabriel Agbonlahor has scored in three of his last four Barclays Premier League matches against Sunderland.
There have been seven red cards in the last 12 Premier League meetings between Aston Villa and Sunderland.
Sunderland have drawn more often against Aston Villa than versus any other opponent in their Premier League history (11 times).
Aston Villa have scored just six goals in their last 21 Premier League away games and have gone just two minutes short of 10 hours of playing time since they last scored a goal on the road.
Merson's prediction
Easy. 0-0. Villa will go there and can’t afford to lose, and Sunderland just don’t score any goals. Villa have got some hard games coming up so they need to at least draw this game. Sherwood hasn’t done much different to Paul Lambert but it’s just a different voice in the dressing room. He hasn’t come in and made 10 changes, it’s just a different voice. It’s helping at the moment and I hope it continues.
MERSE PREDICTS: 0-0
Betting
Sunderland are Sky Bet’s 5/4 favourites to collect all three points, with Aston Villa 9/4 to secure the win and 11/5 to leave the Stadium of Light with a point. Both sides will be desperate to put some room between themselves and the relegation places, with the Black Cats currently 7/2 for the drop while Tim Sherwood’s men are 11/5. Jermain Defoe heads the first goalscorer betting at 9/2, while Christian Benteke is considered the visitors’ biggest threat at 6/1.
