Sports
MATCH PREVIEW – Ipswich Town vs Sunderland AFC: The Black Cats look to make it three consecutive league wins

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?
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.
FORM
D W L D W W
W L D L D L
- 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?
Join in the conversation and have your say…
Sports
4 left out as Newcastle submit official Champions League squad

Newcastle United have submitted their official squad to UEFA for the 2023/24 Champions League group stage.
‘List A’ includes 23 senior players, while ‘List B’ will include two homegrown youngsters in Elliot Anderson and Lewis Miley; who’ll both be eligible to feature.
Four senior players have been left out which may not be a suprise to many NUFC fans, with Matt Ritchie, Javier Manquillo, Emil Krafth and Mark Gillespie all missing out of Eddie Howe’s squad.
Here’s the full ‘List A’ squad that’s been sent over to UEFA ahead of our group stages games against PSG, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan:
- Miguel Almirón
- Harvey Barnes
- Sven Botman
- Dan Burn
- Martin Dúbravka (GK)
- Paul Dummett
- Anthony Gordon
- Bruno Guimarães
- Lewis Hall
- Alexander Isak
- Joelinton
- Loris Karius (GK)
- Jamaal Lascelles
- Tino Livramento
- Sean Longstaff
- Jacob Murphy
- Nick Pope (GK)
- Fabian Schär
- Matt Targett
- Sandro Tonali
- Kieran Trippier
- Joe Willock
- Callum Wilson
Newcastle champions league fixtures were recently confirmed, see below..
- Matchday 1: AC Milan v Newcastle United – 19th September, 5.45m
- Matchday 2: Newcastle United v Paris Saint-Germain – 4th October, 8pm
- Matchday 3: Newcastle United v Borussia Dortmund – 25th October, 8pm
- Matchday 4: Borussia Dortmund v Newcastle United – 7th November, 5.45pm
- Matchday 5: Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle United – 28th November, 8pm
- Matchday 6: Newcastle United v AC Milan – 13th December, 8pm
How far can NUFC go in the competition?
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Featured
Watch Yankuba Minteh score first goal for Feyenoord in 5-1 win on Sunday

Newcastle United loanee Yankuba Minteh has scored his first competitive goal for Feyenoord, scoring in Sunday’s 5-1 win over FC Utrecht.
After starting in their 6-1 win over Almere City last weekend, the Gambian teenager came off the bench and scored in stoppage time, rounding the goalkeeper and finishing calmly to seal another convincing victory for the Dutch champions.
This rounds off a positive few weeks for the 19-year-old winger, who was our first summer signing after sealing a £6m move from Danish side Odense.
Last month he helped spark a comeback draw away to local rivals Sparta Rotterdam, before starting his first Eredivisie game against Almere. Now, he’s come off the bench and bagged his first goal for the club.
See the goal here
GOAAAAAAL
Yankuba Minteh
FC Utrecht: 1-5 :Feyenoord#utrfey pic.twitter.com/E7eh4Fz5gK— ‘ Burak | Dutch League #Eredivisie 🇹🇷🇳🇱 (@DutchLeagues) September 3, 2023
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Sports
Newcastle CEO hilarious response on Newcastle United’s Champions League draw

Darren Eales was interviewed straight after the Newcastle United Champions League draw which saw the face a group of death almost…
You can see our video where we visit Sunderland to ask them European Trivia Questions and if they have been to Milan – wait until the end….
Newcastle United’s champions league draw…
Don’t worry Sunderland fans we also did the same with Newcastle…
Newcastle vs SAFC fan trivia
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