Michael Beale says Sunderland will make 'a couple of changes' for upcoming away games

Sunderland head coach Michael Beale plans to mix things up a little with two away games in four days this week.

Michael Beale has told Sunderland fans to expect ‘a couple of changes’ in each of the upcoming away games.

Sunderland go into the game having earned seven points out of nine and in confident mood following the 3-1 home win over Plymouth on Saturday.

However, with two away games to come in four days against Huddersfield and Birmingham, the Sunderland head coach knows he has to rotate his squad a little to keep it fresh.

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That could see Jobe Bellingham restored to the midfield following his goalscoring appearance from the bench last week.

"There's likely to be a couple of changes for both games,” Beale said. “First and foremost, you deal with the game in front of you and recover.

“It's two away games and so we've got to recover really well, make sure we bring our A game tomorrow night but then again just a couple of days later.

“They're two different opponents but their need is as great as ours in their own situation, so it's important that we pick the right team tactically tomorrow and then make the right subs.

“You need different qualities because the game changes over 90 minutes, and in the last couple I think we've just about got it right."

On paper, Sunderland should probably be beating Huddersfield, who are just one place above the bottom three.

However, they have lost just once in five games now and scored seven times in their last two games, so Beale is expecting a really difficult contest.

"It will be a really tough game,” he said. “I've watched them. They are quite direct in terms of they are not a team that wants too much possession, but they play the most forward passes, certainly in the last five or six games, in the league.

"They are fifth for shots so that tells you what's coming. We are going to need to be defensively strong, we need to make sure we are up for the midfield battle all over the pitch.

“We are not going to be able to have the lapses in concentration we've had, maybe at the start of the second half at Middlesbrough and first half at the weekend. We are going to need to be at it for 90 minutes."

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