Stoke City vs Sunderland Prediction: Stoke badly needs 3 points to have some breathing space near the relegation zone

Stoke City will welcome Sunderland at bet365 Stadium in Game Week 12 of the English Championship. Stoke badly needs 3 points to have some breathing space near the relegation zone. Who will come out on top after 90 minutes?

When Stoke City lost 2-0 to Leicester City before the international break, it seemed likely that Neil would be replaced as their manager. During the 2023-24 season, the team has suffered seven defeats in 11 games in the second tier, and Neil has lost 27 of the 57 matches he has overseen, despite expectations that he would lead them to promotion. It is clear that Neil is at a point in his tenure where only victories will suffice, as Stoke City is currently outside of the relegation zone only due to the poor performance of teams below them in the second tier. If they can secure a much-needed win on Saturday, they have the opportunity to rise to 17th place in the standings. However, if they are defeated, they may fall into the bottom three prior to facing off against Middlesbrough and Leeds United. In recent times, Neil has witnessed his team fail to score in five out of their eight league matches since August 26, and they also suffered a 2-0 loss to Bournemouth in the EFL Cup.

Travers; Tchamadeu, McNally, Laurent, Thompson; Leris, Pearson, Burger, Johnson; Haksabanovic, Gayle

Sunderland will reunite with their former manager following a demoralizing 4-0 loss against local rivals Middlesbrough in their last match. However, the team's situation was not helped by a player being sent off in the first half. Tony Mowbray will emphasize this to his players after their previous successful performances. In their last seven games, Sunderland has won five of them and has achieved three consecutive victories in away matches. They scored three goals in each of these matches, defeating Queens Park Rangers, Blackburn Rovers, and Sheffield Wednesday.

Patterson; Hume, O'Nien, Selt, Huggins; Roberts, Bellingham, Ekwah, Clarke; Ba; Burstow

In the future, it is possible that Stoke will find success, regardless of whether Neil is their manager or not. However, in this particular game, we anticipate that the Black Cats will triumph convincingly in the Potteries, as they possess the necessary confidence. Take a double chance on the away side for safety. Expect over 2.5 goals in the game.