Sunderland still have hopes of making the top two, and the prize of automatic promotion to the Premier League, whereas their visitors look to be fairly safe from any late season drama at either end of the table, but would love to play spoiler in this midweek Championship clash.
EFL Championship
Our Three Predictions For Sunderland v Preston North End
- Prediction 1 – Sunderland To Win – 57/100
- Prediction 2 – Both Teams To Score – Yes – 21/20
- Prediction 3 – Match To End In A Draw – 14/5
First Prediction For Sunderland v Preston North End – Sunderland To Win – 57/100
After a weekend that saw the top three in the Championship tighten up, Sunderland still sit just outside that trio but waiting to pounce on any further dropped points. To do this they will need to continue their great home form where they have only lost once in the league all season, a very recent loss to Hull City. This was on the back of an FA Cup loss at home and two draws. This has been a poor sequence, but the Black Cats are still very much in the mix, and visitors Preston North End are coming in on the back of two straight road losses, and have only won three times away all season. Sunderland need to keep the pressure on at the top, and after picking up wins against Sheffield Wednesday and Cardiff City, they should be to much for the Lilywhites.
Second Prediction For Sunderland v Preston North End – Both Teams To Score – Yes – 21/20
Despite being 17th in the “away form” league, Preston have not had much trouble finding goals when on the road. With 17 in their 18 away games, they also backed up with 19 at home, so with an exact one goal per game average. They do though have a problem at the other end when on their travels, conceding 28, and that is something their hosts will revel in. At home Sunderland have scored 30 times in the Championship, and easy to see why they have been so good at home is their tight defence, only 14 let in. With the pressure on, and no clean sheets in the last four games, both sides will fancy their chances getting on the scoreboard.
Third Prediction For Sunderland v Preston North End – Match To End In A Draw – 14/5
This does have the ingredients of being a close game, and if there is a winner it has the potential to be by just a single goal. That is down to the circumstances of the game, with so much pressure riding on a Sunderland team that is not playing as free flowing as it was at the start of the season. Throw in to the mix that Preston have drawn 16 times so far, and six of those have been away from home. Neither side has drawn in their last four games, but in this seasons earlier encounter they played out a goalless draw. It will be unlike Preston to shut up shop and play for the draw, so we should expect both teams to score, and it is just how many, and then their hosts to match it as they are desperate to keep up the pace at the top.
Best Odds For Sunderland v Preston North End
| Bookmaker | Sunderland Win | Draw | Preston Win |
| MyriadPlay | 57/100 | 14/5 | 9/2 |
| GentlemanJim | 4/7 | 14/5 | 19/4 |
| Betarno | 16/25 | 11/4 | 21/5 |
Full Preview Of The Game: Last Results And Head To Head
After a heart breaking loss at Leeds United, and then a poor result at home against Hull, Sunderland had to bounce back and they have done so with two consecutive wins. This will be pleasing to their manager, Regis Le Bris, and after seeing the trio of teams above them close ranks, this still could be a chance for Sunderland to gate crash the automatic promotion party. Romaine Mundle and Eliezer Mayenda have been a good strike combination so far and their 11 goals and seven assists between them have kept opposition defences wary. The play of Jobe Bellingham may not having taken off the way of his brother but nonetheless he is a vital part of what Sunderland do. At the back Trai Hume has been ever present and will need to use his youthful exuberance to keep a tight ship as the season winds on.
Preston North End are in a position of football limbo, as it doesn’t look like they will threaten the playoff pack, and similarly will not flirt with relegation. This may well suit Paul Heckingbottom’s side as they can play with a bit of freedom. However, the wild card here is that they do have an FA Cup quarter-final on the horizon against Aston Villa. They are the last EFL team left in that competition, so players are definitely playing for their place in that game at the end of the month. Kaine Kesler-Hayden should be one of those assured of his place, as the Welsh defender has been at the heart of the back line all season. Emil Riis top scores so far with 9 goals, and could well be a thorn in the side of defences for the remainder of the campaign, as will Sam Greenwood. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has five goals and two assists.
Confrontation11/03/2025 Championship Championship 
Sunderland 
Preston North End 1 1 06/11/2024 Championship Championship
Preston North End
Sunderland 0 0 13/08/2024 League Cup League Cup
Preston North End
Sunderland 2 0 01/01/2024 Championship Championship
Sunderland
Preston North End 2 0 12/08/2023 Championship Championship
Preston North End
Sunderland 2 1 Last Results - Sunderland
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Where To Watch Sunderland v Preston North End
- Location: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
- Date And Time: March 11, 7.45pm
- TV Channel: This match will be televised live on Sky Sports+
Probable Lineups For Sunderland v Preston North End
Probable Lineup For Sunderland
Team: Patterson; Hjelde, O’Nien, Mepham, Hume; Bellingham, Neil, Roberts; Mundle, Mayenda, Browne
Manager: Regis Le Bris
Probable Lineup For Preston North End
Team: Woodman; Kesler-Hayden, Porteous, Lindsay, Gibson, Brady; Potts, Thordarson, Greenwood; Riis, Keane
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom
