Sunderland v Manchester City preview pack
Check out our preview pack for today's Premier League clash between Sunderland and Manchester City, including the best quotes and stats.
The game kicks off at 1600 GMT at the Stadium of Light, live on Sky Sports 1.
Sunderland v Manchester City: Team news
Sunderland's Jason Denayer will sit out against parent club Manchester City at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
Denayer is ineligible under the terms of his loan agreement, although central defender Papy Djilobodji returns to contention after serving a four-match ban.
Goalkeeper Vito Mannone has recovered from illness and Billy Jones is available after having stitches in a head wound, but Jack Rodwell (hamstring) is being assessed and the game will come too soon for midfielders Jan Kirchhoff (knee) and Steven Pienaar (calf).
Paddy McNair, Duncan Watmore, Victor Anichebe (all knee) and Lee Cattermole (hip) are still out.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is back in contention for Sunday's Premier League trip to Sunderland after three games out with a leg injury.
Defender Aleksandar Kolarov is also fit again after a hamstring injury while Willy Caballero could return in goal after Claudio Bravo featured in the FA Cup in midweek.
Striker Gabriel Jesus (foot) and midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (knee) are both long-term casualties.
Teams
Sunderland (from): Pickford, Mannone, Jones, Manquillo, Oviedo, Love, O'Shea, Kone, Djilobodji, Lescott, Ndong, Gibson, Larsson, Borini, Januzaj, Khazri, Gooch, Honeyman, Defoe, Maja.
Manchester City (from): Caballero, Bravo, Zabaleta, Sagna, Stones, Otamendi, Kompany, Kolarov, Clichy, Toure, Fernando, Fernandinho, Delph, De Bruyne, Navas, Sterling, Nolito, Silva, Sane, Garcia, Aguero, Iheanacho.
Sunderland v Manchester City: Manager quotes
David Moyes (Sunderland)
On John Stones: "When I signed him, I didn't at the time think he was going to go on to become anywhere near as good a player as he has gone on to become.
"I thought he'd become a good player because he had natural calmness on the ball, not coached, not done, he was just someone who that was his style of being on the ball.
"What he will develop as he gets older is more of the defensive instincts at times, and maybe that's where he's questioned a little bit. But as a type and as somebody who wants to do the right thing and wants to improve, all day long, he's got all that.
"He's a good boy who is trying to do all the right things to make himself a better player and England should actually be thinking they are really fortunate that they have got somebody like John Stones because for many years, they have been saying, 'It's the sort of player we would like to have in England'.
"Rio Ferdinand was great at coming out with the ball and taking the ball at the back. John Stones is someone of a similar ilk."
On exploiting City's defensive frailties: "Manchester City are a good team, as everybody is well aware. Can you cause them some problems defensively? Yes. The big thing is getting enough of the ball.
"We have to try to get enough of the ball and get ourselves in the right positions to see if we can cause them some problems."
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
On Claudio Bravo: "The most important thing for keepers is to save the balls with their hands, but the way I believe in playing football - from when I grew up as a little boy and my conscious awareness as a human being and as a trainer - what I want to do is so important.
"To take decisions like Claudio Bravo did in the last game was a masterpiece, how he took decisions, short and right, left, along and behind.
"We knew Huddersfield would be high pressing. For example they would press to Kevin De Bruyne, to Fernandinho and the space was in behind them.
"How he put the ball there - it wasn't a long ball, it was a pass. How he took the decisions was right all the time, it was really perfect, definitely what I want from Claudio and, of course, Willy.
"The goalkeeper has less quality than the outfield players - that's normal - but we try to train that to help us to create the build-up from behind to front."
On not looking at the table: "Never, never, never when I see a team or analyse a team, do I see the table. Never. It doesn't matter the position they are.
"I know they will be more physical and pay more attention because of their situation. Sunderland's situation is not easy.
"The people can think we should win but Liverpool and Tottenham also should have won there and were not able to. Every game will be so difficult and so complicated, and it will be on Sunday."
On Chelsea: "Everybody would prefer to be in Chelsea's position because then you are playing knowing that losing one game you will be top, if you lose two games you will be top, if you lose three games you will be top.
"When that happens during the game, mentally you're more relaxed, more confident and of course the quality of their play makes the difference."
On Sergio Aguero's future: "I spoke 10 times about that. Ten times. You know my opinion. I cannot answer every single press conference about Sergio Aguero.
"He is so happy, I am so happy, we are happy. So, 10 times I answer. No more please."
On Vincent Kompany's injury struggles: "It must not be easy for Vincent.
"What happened was in the training session, it was nothing, it was not serious. He's in the last process (of his recovery) and yesterday he trained with us.
"He's ready to come back. Hopefully he'll help us in the last two to three months of the season."
On City's recent upturn in form: "Every day my feeling is better. Our build-up is better, we create more chances in the last two games and scored 10 goals. That is what I have to continue."
Sunderland v Manchester City: Our prediction
Nick Hext writes... It’s hard to see anything other than a convincing Manchester City win in Sunday’s second game.
Pep Guardiola’s men have found their stride again in 2017 with eight wins, two draws and just one defeat suffered in their opening 11 matches of the year. Sunderland wish their record was just a third as good.
The Black Cats have lost five of their nine games so far this year and they’ve only picked up one win, coming in surprising fashion as they thrashed fellow strugglers Crystal Palace 4-0 a month ago.
Sunderland haven’t won at the Stadium of Light since beating Watford 1-0 way back on December 17 and they lost 4-0 to Southampton in their last match on their own turf.
The bookies have City at short odds across the board to get plenty of goals and that’s understandable with 30 goals netted in those 11 matches so far in 2017.
Guardiola’s side have collected 5-3, 5-1, 5-0, 4-0 and 3-0 victories during that run so it’s no surprise that no better than even-money is available for the visitors to score three or more against the Black Cats.
I’ve found a little bit of value though in supporting City.
Betstars offer 41/20 for City to score over 1.5 goals in the first half and that’s worth an interest given how rampant the Etihad Stadium outfit have been over the last few months.
This bet would have come in as City beat Huddersfield 5-1 in the FA Cup in midweek and also in six of their 12 victories on the road during the current campaign.
Sunderland have also conceded two or more goals in two of their previous three home games so it’s clear to me that any prices in the region of 2/1 for City to find the back of the net at least a couple of times before half-time is the way to go.
Prediction: Sunderland 0-3 Manchester City
Sunderland v Manchester City: Opta facts
Sunderland have lost each of their last five Premier League games against Manchester City since a 2-2 draw at the Etihad in April 2014.
City have won their last two Premier League visits to the Stadium of Light since a run of four consecutive 1-0 defeats between 2010 and 2013. o Of Premier League teams the Citizens have played 25 or more times, they have the best win percentage against the Black Cats (68%, 17 wins from 25 games).
Sergio Aguero has been involved in six goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Sunderland (four goals, two assists). In all competitions, the Argentinian striker has scored in each of his last three games at the Stadium of Light (four goals).
David Moyes has only lost two of the 12 home Premier League games he has managed against Manchester City (W7 D3 L2). Indeed, only against Fulham (12) has he won more home Premier League games than against the Citizens (7).
Sunderland haven’t been any higher than 15th position in the Premier League this season, while Manchester City are one of two teams who haven’t been outside the top half (along with Everton).
The Black Cats have lost 17 of their 26 Premier League games this season; the same tally as they had in the entire 2015-16 season (17).
Jermain Defoe has scored a goal in every single month of possible Premier League action since January 2016 (13 months in a row).
Defoe has scored eight Premier League goals against Manchester City – only versus Wigan Athletic (10) has he netted more in the competition.
Defoe has attempted 64 shots in the Premier League this season; 40 more than any other Sunderland player.
Pep Guardiola has suffered five league defeats as Manchester City boss this season – he’s never lost six in a single league campaign as a manager.
Sunderland v Manchester City: Sky Bet odds
Sunderland are up against odds of 8/1 to beat Manchester City (2/7) despite home advantage, while the draw is priced at 9/2. Pep Guardiola’s men headed into the weekend as 10/1 second favourites to win the Premier League, while their hosts are up against odds of 9/2 to stay up. Sergio Aguero heads the first goalscorer betting at 9/2 and is just 11/8 to bag a brace, while Jermain Defoe is considered the hosts’ main threat by some distance at 8/1 to net first.
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