Sunderland and Bournemouth go into the weekend desperate for a win, both trying to steady themselves after a rough patch. They meet at the Stadium of Light tomorrow. And honestly, the timing feels important for each side.
Sunderland’s good early-season buzz has slowed down a bit, with the Black Cats now stuck on a three-game run without a victory.
Softfootball understands that. Their last home match, the 2-2 draw with Arsenal, showed they still have fight in the team, even if the rhythm isn’t always smooth. Getting back to winning ways is starting to feel necessary if they want to hang around the upper half of the table.
Bournemouth aren’t in a much different place. They’ve gone without a win in four of their last five league matches, and the heavy 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa really knocked their confidence down.
Andoni Iraola’s squad had been building something solid earlier in the season, but that stumble kind of halted their rise. With both teams sitting close together in the standings, one good result could shift things quickly and push either side a bit closer toward the top four picture.
The team posted photos of their players preparing for the game via their official X account.
View the post below:
Team News
Regis Le Bris doesn’t have fresh injury worries to deal with, which is probably a relief at this point. Habib Diarra is still recovering from his groin issue, and Aji Alese stays sidelined with the shoulder problem, though both should be back soon. Sunderland are expected to keep their usual 3-4-3 shape, hoping for better control in midfield and cleaner transition play.
Iraola has a small boost with Antoine Semenyo expected to be available again after dealing with illness and a slight ankle concern. But Matai Akinmboni, Justin Kluivert and Ben Doak are still out. Bournemouth will likely remain in their 4-2-3-1 setup, trying to tighten things up after a shaky spell defensively.
Possible Lineups
Sunderland (3-4-3): Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida; Hume, Xhaka, Sadiki, Reinildo; Traore, Isidor, Le Fee
Bournemouth (4-2-3-1): Petrovic; Smith, Diakite, Senesi, Truffert; Scott, Adams; Brooks, Tavernier, Semenyo; Evanilson
Softfootball’s Prediction
Both teams are trying hard to break out of their winless runs, so the match probably ends up being open and full of effort. Their recent form looks strangely similar, and that usually points toward a game where neither side fully grabs control.
Sunderland 2-2 Bournemouth
