Sunderland face their first EFL opponents since their Premier League return as they gear up to welcome League One title favourites Huddersfield Town in the EFL Cup.
EFL Cup
Our Three Predictions For Sunderland AFC vs Huddersfield Town
- Prediction 1 – Marc Guiu To Score – 6/4
- Prediction 2 – Over 2.5 Goals Scored – 77/100
- Prediction 3 – Sunderland AFC To Win – 11/20
First Prediction For Sunderland AFC vs Huddersfield Town – Marc Guiu To Score – 6/4
After Sunderland’s opening two games, it has become clear who is Regis Le Bris’ preferred forward options and it is Elizer Mayenda who has emerged as his first choice. A cup break is likely to see rotation for the Black Cats as they focus on Premier League survival, which could hand Chelsea loanee Marc Guiu his first start in Red and White. His talent is clear to see during his time in London last season, scoring six goals in nine Conference League matches and was a huge part of their ultimate victory in the competition. Of course, other options which could start this game include Wilson Isidor and Luis Semedo, meaning Guiu’s involvement is not guaranteed, but he is likely to get some minutes in this fixture.
Second Prediction For Sunderland AFC vs Huddersfield Town – Over 2.5 Goals Scored – 77/100
Sunderland were brought back down to earth with their loss to Burnley and that could spell good news for Huddersfield who boast a brilliant attacking roster. Aflie May, of course, is the lead name in that department with his exploits for both Charlton Athletic and Birmingham City, as well as Dion Charles and Joe Taylor. The Terriers pushed Leicester City to the brink and won on penalties through a teriffic comeback, and will fancy their chances against a team like Sunderland still trying to find their feet after a squad overhaul in the summer. Of course, the Black Cats will have some proven talent on the pitch, like Chris Rigg and Patrick Roberts, likely to get starts which could lead to plenty of goals again at the Stadium of Light.
Third Prediction For Sunderland AFC vs Huddersfield Town – Sunderland AFC To Win – 11/20
With the Premier League side now having a large squad through heavy investment this summer, Regis Le Bris could pick largely from players who led the club to promotion last season. These players, like Roberts, Rigg and even Enzo Le Fee have not had chances to play yet and this will be their prime opportunity to win back a place in the starting eleven for their next league match against Brentford. Huddersfield should feel confident of bringing down another higher division side with how they have started the season, but with fresher legs and more quality to their name, Sunderland should have a decisive edge in the North East this time around.
Best Odds For Sunderland AFC vs Huddersfield Town
| Bookmaker | Sunderland AFC | Draw | Huddersfield Town |
| Betarno | 11/20 | 3/1 | 9/2 |
| Gentleman Jim | 8/15 | 3/1 | 17/4 |
| Myriadplay | 11/20 | 5/4 | 17/4 |
Full Preview Of The Game: Last Results And Head-To-Head
Sunderland have had an alright start to their season, which began two weeks ago at home for their first Premier League game in eight years. They got off to the perfect start, demolishing a listing West Ham United side with three quality goals, briefly putting them top of the top flight. However, their second game brought an end to the optimism of that day when they fell 2-0 to fellow promoted side Burnley, despite having the majority of the chances at Turf Moor. This game could spell debuts for multiple of their summer signings, most notably defender Nordi Mukiele, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain last week and was an unfeatured sub in the defeat against the Clarets. Regis Le Bris is still looking for transfer business to be done this window, but it is unlikely any new signings will join in time for this match. In terms of injuries, the headline absentee is Romaine Mundle, which could hand Nazariy Rusyn his first appearance of the season in place of Simon Adingra. They face Brentford on the weekend in their next league match.
Huddersfield Town have returned to their early-season form over the weekend, bringing down previous league leaders Stevenage to bring themselves back within one point of the new first-placed side in Cardiff City. The Terriers, under Lee Grant, have lost just once in six games so far, being beaten by Blackpool at Bloomfield Road. Town have only drawn once so far this season in their EFL Cup first round tie to Leicester City, where they fought from 2-0 down at home to salvage a penalty shootout, which they won thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Lee Nichols. There are a few injuries in the Huddersfield squad heading into this game, with Antony Evans remaining a long-term absence, while Rhys Healey and Jacob Chapman is still yet to make a squad so far this season. They face a Yorkshire derby on the weekend when they face Barnsley at Oakwell.
A difference in divisions means that there have only been four games played between these sides since 2010, coming in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons. However, it is Huddersfield who hold the advantage over the Premier League side, with two wins to their one, alongside a solitary draw. It was a home win in Kirklees the last time these sides faced off with Matty Pearson’s effort in the first half giving Town victory.
Dean Whitestone will be in charge of this match, which will be his fourth appointment of the season. He refereed an all-Championship affair in the first round of the EFL Cup with Norwich City‘s away win to Watford. His other two games were second-tier matches which saw Portsmouth beat Oxford United and Leicester beat Charlton Athletic. He has handed out eight yellow cards, with no penalties or red cards given to players.
Confrontation
Where To Watch Sunderland AFC vs Huddersfield Town
Where can I watch the game, either on TV or in person?
- Location: Stadium of Light, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 1SU
- Date: August 26th, 2025
This game is available to watch in the UK, on Sky Sports+ with kick-off at 7:45 pm.
Probable Lineups For Sunderland AFC vs Huddersfield Town
What sort of lineup can we expect from this important EFL Cup clash?
Predicted Sunderland AFC Lineup
- Lineup: Patterson; Hume, Pembele, Seelt, Masuaku; Neil, Browne, Rigg; Roberts, Guiu, Rusyn
- Injured/Suspended: Alese, Mundle, Cirkin, O’Nien, Hjelde
- Manager: Regis Le Bris
Predicted Huddersfield Town Lineup
- Lineup: Nichols; Gooch, Feeney, Wallace, Roughan; Vost, McGuane; Ashia, Castledine, Ladapo; Taylor
- Injured/Suspended: Healey, Chapman, Miller
- Manager: Lee Grant
