Sunderland take on Southampton in the Championship this weekend.
Sunderland travel down to the south coast to play Southampton in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.
Mike Dodds’ side enters this game on a five-game losing streak, following a 1-0 loss to Leicester City in midweek.
The Black Cats are currently one of only three clubs in Europe’s top divisions to have lost their previous five games, and they face a sixth consecutive defeat for the first time since the 2005/06 season.
Southampton, however, is in fourth place in the rankings, having won 4-3 over Birmingham City last weekend after suffering three consecutive defeats in all competitions.
David Prutton predicts 3-1 win for Southampton against Sunderland
Sky Sports commentator David Prutton predicted the Saints to win all three points at St Mary’s this weekend.
He projected a 3-1 home victory, adding:
“Southampton did not play in midweek, and as a result, they are currently outside the top three. They cannot afford a single slip-up between now and the finish of the season, since the speed among the leading pack is simply crazy.
“Sunderland is drifting badly. Five defeats in a row, and they’re lucky they still have a significant lead over the teams near the bottom, otherwise things may become serious. You never know what will happen, but I don’t see them getting anything at St Mary’s on their current form.”
Bad to worse for Mike Dodds and Sunderland
Sunderland, as Prutton points out, is currently drifting hard.
They’re in fast fall and are now one point closer to the bottom three than the top six, and if the worst teams continue to win games, Sunderland might be in trouble very soon.
There are still 30 points to play for, and Sunderland has only a nine-point lead over the bottom three; another few defeats would undoubtedly shorten that margin, and things would become hectic.
And a trip to Southampton doesn’t make matters any easier, especially as the Saints’ midweek game has been postponed.
Sunderland appear weak without Jack Clarke. They lack that killer instinct, and the misfiring Luis Hemir isn’t supplying it right now.
If Sunderland can get on the scoreboard this weekend, it will be a small positive, and if they can take anything away from the game, it will be a huge result.
Saturday’s kickoff begins at 3 p.m.
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