Sunderland face a tough away trip to Portman Road on Saturday afternoon to face Ipswich Town and look to make it three consecutive League One wins.

The Black Cats will be hoping to build on the previous two games in which Sunderland were victorious, most recently last Saturday’s 2-1 win against promotion rivals Plymouth Argyle at the Stadium of Light.

Johnson’s side have played a more aggressive and direct style of play in recent games, a system that has got the best out of their attacking options – especially Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead who netted his fourth of the season against Plymouth last time out.

Despite their brilliant home form this campaign, Sunderland have struggled at times on the road and will be expecting to put in a decent performance come Saturday afternoon. They have collected just 14 of their 42 points on the road this term.

With so many injuries at the back, perhaps attack is the best form of defence for the visitors who could go top with a win over The Tractor Boys.

Ipswich are in poor form heading into this one and will be expecting more of the same from the Black Cats who have been playing some free-flowing, high-intensity football in recent games – so why change a winning formula?

Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Goal difference is the only reason the Sunderland sit just behind Wigan Athletic who are second, and Lee Johnson will be aware that a positive result at the weekend could see his side move into the automatic promotion places, if not top spot on Christmas Day – making those festive beers would taste even better.

Saturday’s contest is a prime opportunity for Sunderland to claim their fifth away victory this term as the visitors will be looking to replicate their 1-0 win at Portman Road last season.

Having lost 2-0 to League Two side Barrow in the FA Second Round Replay on Wednesday evening, the team from Suffolk will be hoping to bounce back instantly with a good performance against a Sunderland team seeking their third league win in a row.

Ipswich find themselves sitting in 12th and stuck mid-table with the distinct possibility that their season might just peter out if performances don’t improve during the festive period.

The hosts are without a win in their last five games (all-comps) and fell to a 2-0 defeat the last time the sides met back in November.

The club have entered a new era having appointed Kieran McKenna as manager yesterday.

The 35-year-old Northern Irishman has entered into his first role as a number one, but has a range of coaching experience, having worked under Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick as assistant coach at Manchester United.

He starts his role on Monday.

Therefore, John McGreal takes charge of the game on Saturday, still looking for his first win as interim boss since taking over the reins from Paul Cook who was sacked on December 4.

Although they face a tough test at the weekend, Ipswich will aim to utilise home advantage once again after winning four of their last six league games at Portman Road. Striker Macauley Bonne has 11 goals this season, matching Sunderland’s Ross Stewart, but he is also in a dry spell having not scored in over ten games.

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• Ipswich are without a win in the last five meetings between the two sides, with Sunderland AFC winning of four occasions and the fifth being a draw.
• Ipswich Town have failed to score in just 2 of their 11 home matches in League One this season, meaning this one could see a few goals.
• Fourteen points and nine places separate the two sides who face off at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon.

TEAM NEWS

For Sunderland, Dennis Cirkin, Denver Hume and Corry Evans have all returned to training, yet the weekend’s game may come too soon. Aiden McGeady remains unavailable and isn’t expected to return to training until at least the new year.

Lynden Gooch is a doubt for Saturday’s fixture after picking up an injury against Plymouth last weekend and will will undergo a late fitness test having been precautionarily withdrawn at half-time at the Stadium of Light. If Gooch is not available then Johnson may have to make slight alterations to the midfield – Elliot Embleton may feature.

Ipswich are expected to be without both Wes Burns and Bersant Celina as injury issues are set to rule the pair out of Saturday’s contest. Hayden Coulson hasn’t played since limping off in the 4-1 win at Wycombe (Nov 2) while Bailey Clements has sat out the last two league games.

The home side are expected to put out a very similar squad to the one that drew 1-1 away at Wigan last time out in League One.

POTENTIAL LINE-UPs

SAFC:                                                                                                                                       Ipswich Town:

Pre-match thoughts? Score predictions?

Can Sunderland win their third consecutive League One fixture? Will the Black Cats go top for Christmas Day? Is Johnson the man to lead Sunderland to promotion?

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