Sunderland vs Blackburn Rovers Preview: How to watch, team news, last meeting, recent form and referee

All you need to know ahead of Sunderland's game against Blackburn Rovers.

Will Jeffries | Dec 25, 2022

Sunderland vs Blackburn Rovers Preview: How to watch, team news, last meeting, recent form and referee /

Sunderland welcome Blackburn Rovers to the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day, with the lads looking to return to winning ways.

The game has been chosen to be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Sunderland are currently sitting in 13th place, three points outside the play-off places, while Blackburn Rovers are sitting in third spot, eight points adrift of the top.

How to Watch

When: Monday 26th December, 12:30pm Kick-Off
Where: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
TV: Sky Sports

Team News

Sunderland duo Danny Batth and Elliot Embleton will miss the game against Blackburn after both suffered injuries last weekend against Hull City. Edouard Michut is also back in contention after injury, although Alex Pritchard misses out again with a calf problem.

Ross Stewart and Daniel Ballard are likely to feature after their recent substitute appearances last weekend.

Blackburn trio Daniel Ayala, Tyler Morton and Sam Gallagher are expected to shake off their minor injuries to feature at the Stadium of Light.

Last Meeting

The two teams last met in league action at Ewood Park in October 2022, where Blackburn prevailed 2-0 over the Wearsiders.

Sunderland Team: Patterson, O'Nien, Batth, Alese, Neil, Embleton, Evans, Cirkin, Roberts, Clarke, Pritchard

Recent Form

Sunderland: LWWLD
Blackburn Rovers: LWLLW

Head-to-head (Last 10 Matches)

Sunderland wins: 3
Draws: 4
Blackburn wins: 3

Referee

Darren Bond will take charge of this match and has refereed 35 matches over the last 12 months, and has issued 83 yellow cards.

Bond last took charge of a Sunderland match in September 2022, where the lads went down to a 1-0 defeat against Middlesbrough. That was the game in which Ross Stewart was injured in the warm-up. Let's hope that's not a bad sign!

He will be assisted by Philip Dermott and Richard Wild, with Scott Oldham acting as the fourth official.

What the Managers have said

Tony Mowbray acknowledges that Blackburn Rovers are the perfect role model for his Sunderland team to follow, and that his side will have to be at their very best to get anything from the game.

Mowbray said: "They have had some amazing results. They went to Norwich, who were in the Premier League last year, and won 2-0.

"Yet they got beat 4-1 by Preston at home, they got beat 3-0 away at Burnley. They have had some heavy defeats.

"They lost quite heavily against Notts Forest in midweek after making changes.

"The game against us I know Brereton scored with his left foot from 20 yards in the top corner, they scored a second which seemed to be offside, but wasn't given.

"I think in what was a tight game, we applied ourselves pretty well and were hard done by in that game.

"This is another opportunity for us to try and get three points.

"Blackburn Rovers have some talented individuals and a lot of players I know well.

"We have to be respectful of what they've got and individual talent on the pitch can hurt any team, as they've shown.

"We have to be at our best, our fans will expect us to give everything we've got and that's what will happen I'm sure."

John Dahl Tomasson, meanwhile, knows his side will be in for a tough day in the North East, as Sunderland will be out to avenge their defeat they suffered at Ewood Park.

Tomasson said: "Going to Sunderland, a massive stadium, probably sold-out, the time isn't ideal for our supporters, that's the only thing with the early kick-off.

"We will be training at Ewood on the evening of the 25th, and then travelling to Sunderland.

"Of course for our fans they need to travel very early, a little bit too early for my point of view, but I can't change that.

Predicted line-up

Tony Mowbray must decide who will replace Elliot Embleton in Sunderland's attack.

With Alex Pritchard again missing with a calf injury, it looks like a decision between drafting Patrick Roberts into the same system, or switching to a 4-4-2 and reuniting Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart in attack.

Since it's at home, the latter feels more likely.

Sunderland predicted starting XI (4-4-2): Patterson; Gooch, Ballard, O'Nien, Alese; Amad; Evans, Neil; Clarke; Simms, Stewart