Starting XI: One change predicted for Sunderland's game against Millwall

20/04/2024 07:00

After a good three points last week, will Mike Dodds stick with the same formation for today's game?

The past ten days or so have given us some positivity as we head into the season's final throes – four points from Leeds and West Brom away are probably four more than many of us thought were likely, and we need to take that form back to the Stadium of Light today.

Against Leeds and West Brom, we went with a three/five at the back, and it seemed to suit us. I'm never too comfortable with us playing that formation at home – in 40 years, I can't recall too many occasions that five at the back has worked for us at home – but I think we'll go with that again this afternoon.

Goalkeeper: Anthony Patterson

Patto did everything he had to do well on Saturday, and will be in goal again. Dodds has spoken of Patterson being in need of a rest – he did look to have a problem towards the end of the West Brom game – but I can't see him getting one until the season ends.

Defenders: Timothee Pembele, Trai Hume, Dan Ballard, Luke O'Nien, Aje Alese

Timmy Pembele and Callum Styles did well at wing back again last weekend, and I think we'll stick with a five today. However, I reckon we might move Styles into centre midfield to cover Dan Neil's rumoured injury. That'll mean we play with a bit of a lopsided five, with Pembele given free rein up the right-hand side and Alese more of a defensive left wing back.

Midfield: Pierre Ekwah, Callum Styles

Dan Neil is allegedly injured, and if so it presents a selection dilemma for Mike Dodds. I said on a podcast recently that we needed to use the remaining games to answer questions we had over players in the squad, and to my mind we need to know whether Callum Styles can do a job for us in the middle of the park. Allegedly that's his favoured position – we've seen he can do a job at wing back, and if he looks decent in the centre of midfield he could be worth signing permanently. While he's come in for a bit of stick, I do think he looks neat and tidy on the ball and it'll be interesting to see him play centrally.

Attack: Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham, Jack Clarke

I think it'll be same again up front, with Bellingham leading the line and Clarke on the left. I think Rigg will get another start in a narrower position from the right, with Pembele overlapping as much as possible.