The clash of the bottom two is of grave importance for both sides. Only a win will do for two teams yet to claim three points from a league fixture.
Neither Stoke City nor Sunderland are playing well at the moment. Stoke sit second from bottom, with just three points from seven games, while Sunderland prop up the division with just two. Both are winless.
Stoke started as disastrously as is possible, with just one point from their first five fixtures – an opening day 1-1 draw at newly-promoted Middlesbrough.
Two draws on the bounce though, against West Brom and Manchester United, have lifted them from the foot of the table.
This has come at Sunderland’s expense. Sunderland have just the two draws from seven, including their last game against West Brom.
Stoke’s goal difference tells another story though. Just five goals scored is the worst record so far in the division, and their 16 goals conceded already (at a rate of more than two a game) is only one off the worst in the league – West Ham with 17.
Sunderland have only scored six goals themselves, and only striker Jermain Defoe (four) and left-back Patrick van Aanholt (two) have found the net.
Clearly, for either team to avoid relegation, something must change. That starts with one beating the other. There is nobody playing quite as badly as Stoke and Sunderland right now, and one of them must capitalise on this golden opportunity to gain their first win and build from there.
A draw will not do. It helps neither of them climb out of the predicament they are in – worse, it condemns them to it further. For neutrals, it will hopefully make for an entertaining game. For fans, it will be a nail-biting affair.
If neither team can gain victory over the other – or even if neither team can gain momentum from that victory – both teams will start to look down at the Championship as a very real possibility next season.
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