Sunderland predicted line-up vs QPR: Tony Mowbray to freshen up his midfield?

How might Sunderland line-up against QPR this week?

Michael Graham | Feb 13, 2023

Sunderland predicted line-up vs QPR: Tony Mowbray to freshen up his midfield? /

Sunderland head to Loftus Road to face QPR this week looking to keep their good run of form going.

The Black Cats grinded out a fine 1-0 win over a physical Reading side at the Stadium of Light last week to keep their play-off push on track.

QPR, meanwhile, come into the game on the back of the 2-1 home defeat to Millwall, with former Black Cats winger Duncan Watmore among the scorers.

The result left Neil Critchley still looking for his first home win since being appointed Rs manager in December.

Tony Mowbray has suggested he will 'rotate' his squad a little, so what Sunderland team is he likely to pick?

Sunderland predicted line-up vs QPR

GK: Anthony Patterson - Not really tested by Reading and looing utterly immovable between the Sunderland sticks.

RB: Trai Hume - Tony Mowbray says Hume 'amazes him more and more every week,' and I think the fans share that perspective.

CB: Dan Ballard - Suffered an injury in the reverse fixture but looked imperious since his return.

CB: Danny Batth - A vitally important player for Sunderland, no question.

LB: Aji Alese - Potentially played his best game for in a red and white shirt in the win over Reading.

CM: Luke O'Nien - Made a really big impact from the bench against Reading and Mowbray may look to freshen up the midfield area.

CM: Alex Pritchard - Mowbray has said he sees Pritch as being able to comfortably play an orthodox midfield position and he may use him there at Loftus Road.

RM: Amad Diallo - Far from his best against Reading but should thrive away from home where he will get more space in which to work.

AM: Patrick Roberts - In brilliant form right now and hard to see him left out of the side for any reason.

LM: Jack Clarke - Always frustrating but that is because we know what he is capable of. One of the few players Sunderland have who will consistently run in behind a defence.

CF: Joe Gelhardt - Has looked well of the pace so far, but he's only going to get better by playing.

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Published Feb 13, 2023

MICHAEL GRAHAM

Michael Graham is a professional sports writer with more than ten years of industry experience. After pursuing football writing by helping establish the Roker Report Sunderland AFC fansite, Michael moved to Planet Sport to cover football. Michael has since worked on many of the sports sites within the Planet Sport network, including Football365, TEAMtalk and Planet Football before leaving to join 90min. As well as football, Michael is an accomplished tennis writer and has been regularly featured on Tennishead, TennisBuzz and Tennis365. It is football that is his first love, though, with Sunderland AFC his particular passion. Contact: michael@buzzpublishing.co.uk