Last Word on Football brings you the latest team and injury news, plus the predicted lineups ahead of the Sunderland vs Fulham Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light on Sunday February 22. The Black Cats lost their unbeaten home record against Liverpool in their last home game but a win today will get them to within a point of their 40 point target for the season. Fulham are currently two places and two points behind their hosts today, but have lost their last three league games.
Sunderland vs Fulham: Latest Team News and Predicted Lineups
Sunderland Team and Injury News
News that will delight Sunderland fans is that captain Granit Xhaka is available again following injury. He has missed several games and his imfluence on the pitch has been a big loss to Regis Le Bris’ team. The midfielder has trained all week according to the Black Cats head coach and is back in contention to play. Should Xhaka start, record signing Habib Diarra could be the one to miss out. The midfielder, has played a lot since returning from injury late last year, featuring at AFCON and for the Black Cats so could be given a well earned break from the starting eleven.
Elsewhere, fullback Reinildo will be out for around three weeks with a knee injury. Denis Cirkin is expected to deputise. Winger Bertrand Traore is also missing again following his injury while on international duty at AFCON; however, he is expected to return to training in the next week.
Omar Alderete is expected to play after missing the FA Cup victory at Oxford United due to a minor foot injury.
Read More: Three Talking Points as Oxford Lose to Sunderland
Fulham Team and Injury News
Samuel Chukwueze will be missing for Fulham due to a calf injury and there are doubts over Saša Lukić and Tom Cairney. Both have been missing of late but Marco Silva hinted in his press conference that one of them could feature at the Stadium of Light. Silva also added that he believes his side can go to Sunderland and win. He said: “We have to be at our best level. We were the better side against them at the Cottage (1-0 win, November), but they are a solid side and it’s going to be tough.
“We should enjoy playing in these types of stadiums, it’s a test to see how capable we are in these types of environments. Our ambition is to go to a tough place and show quality. Fulham, at our best level, will be able to win the game.”
Sunderland Predicted Lineup
Roefs
Mukiele
Alderete
Ballard
Cirkin
Xhaka
Sadiki
Le Fee
Hume
Mundle
Brobbey
Subs: Ellborg, O’Nien, Geertruida, Isidor, Mayenda, Rigg, Talbi, Angulo, Ta Bi
Fulham Predicted Lineup
Leno
Castagne
Andersen
Bassey
Sessegnon
Iwobi
Berge
Wilson
Smith Rowe
Kevin
Jimenez
Subs: Lecomte, Reed, Cairney/Lukic, Robinson, Bobb, Rodrigo, Cuenca, King, Tete
Featured image courtesy of SmartFrame / Pro Sports Images
