Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest – Predicted lineup and team news

Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest – Predicted lineup and team news

Sunderland aim to end their Friday night hoodoo in front of a home crowd tonight as they welcome Nottingham Forest.

The Black Cats have never won a Premier League game on a Friday, managing just two draws and one defeat across three previous attempts. Despite that record, Régis Le Bris has his side three points off seventh place after a difficult run. Sunderland have relied on defensive solidity and collective spirit to carve out their success this season. That said, they have lost three of their last four matches at home — a concern heading into another crucial fixture.

Sunderland team news

Le Bris confirmed that several players were unwell before the Villa game but added that his squad now has more options to influence matches. Nilson Angulo and Bertrand Traoré are both likely to miss tonight’s clash, while Omar Alderete and Simon Moore also remain unavailable. There is better news, however, with Jocelin Ta Bi back in training and feeling good ahead of the game.

Chris Rigg has been one of the standout stories of Sunderland’s season. The teenager became the club’s third-youngest Premier League scorer in the defeat to Villa, netting at eighteen years and 305 days — behind only Bridges and Wickham. He already has ten starts as a teenager for the Wearsiders, a remarkable achievement at his age, and his creative energy will be central to whatever Sunderland produce tonight.