Jonny Williams has struggled for game time in his young Sunderland career, but a chance could arrive on Saturday.
Sunderland are now three games unbeaten in the Championship – but that may be rather an optimistic take on their current situation.
Simon Grayson’s men remain second bottom, they have won only once in the league all season – back in August – and have not led in a home match in 2017.
And yet three consecutive draws have given the Black Cats a platform to build on; ending their Stadium of Light hoodoo against Bristol City on Saturday would give them the opportunity to kick on.
Grayson has surely settled on a goalkeeper now and so the unconvincing Jason Steele must keep his place, while he may similarly seek continuity in the back line and name an unchanged defensive four.
However, there should be significant movement in the midfield area, with the manager conceding last week – as reported by the Shields Gazette – that certain fixtures could see a dash of creativity added in the centre.
A home game against one of the division’s middleweights could represent an opportunity to bring in Jonny Williams for the underperforming Lee Cattermole.
Given Grayson’s cautious approach so far this term, though, it is unlikely that Callum McManaman would join Williams in the team, with the safer option of George Honeyman likely to be preferred in an attacking position if there is more ambition further back in the side.
Here is how we expect Sunderland to line up against Bristol City:
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