PREVIEW | Sunderland vs Swansea City - team news, lineups, predictions

In partnership with

Playmakerstats

·10 April 2025

PREVIEW | Sunderland vs Swansea City - team news, lineups, predictions

Sunderland and Swansea City clash this Saturday at the Stadium of Light in Matchweek 42 of the EFL Championship.

The Mackems confirmed their place in the end-of-season play-offs with a 0-0 draw against Norwich last time out, and now the challenge for Régis Le Bris' and his team is to play themselves into form and peak at the right time.

OneFootball Videos

A comfortable distance away from the ferocious relegation battle below them, Swansea currently lie in 14th position - the Welsh club seemingly secure in mid-table after a 3-0 victory against Plymouth Argyle last time out.

The last meeting between the two teams ended with Sunderland winning 3-2. An intriguing contest is in store given that both sides have much less at stake currently than many of their second tier peers.

The Fan Zone

Graham Falk (What The Falk Podcast): Sunderland securing a playoff spot with five games still to go doesn't seem to have been given the credit we deserved.

Oddly, Regis Le Bris hasn't either, considering how impressive an achievement it is in his first season in the Championship.

Alas, praise is not what we want, it is wins, wins and more wins - and then promotion. Tuesday's 0-0 draw at Norwich City was underwhelming, but three clean sheets on the bounce is nothing to be sniffed at. If you don't concede, you don't lose.

That said, I - and many other Sunderland fans - would like to see us revert to the high-pressing, attacking football that has us top of the league between August and October.

Gaining momentum and staying clear of injury is key to our hopes of winning the playoffs, but I'd like to see us 'have a go' a bit more against a Swansea side who have largely nothing left to play for other than pride.

Prediction: 1-0

Luke Davies (Swans Cast): Swansea all but mathematically secured safety in the Championship for another season in the past week, capping off a hard fought 1-0 at home to Derby with a thumping 3-0 defeat of Plymouth who look destined for the drop.

In what was one of, if not the best home performance of the season, Alan Sheehan showed his Swansea side can offer a bit more in offence than some previous games may have suggested. This was partly thanks to a change back to a four at the back system, which was rewarded with three high quality goals. Honestly, it should have been more.

A trip to Sunderland up will be a very different challenge, though one the Swans can look forward to with less pressure. Now assured of a play-off place, Sunderland will have their focus on what lies ahead and avoiding injuries, but they have still been picking up points recently.

I'm unsure how Sheehan will set up. I'd normally suggest the more cautious approach of the back five we saw away at Leeds, but I'm inclined to think he will continue with the four that featured so well Wednesday night. There is a definite opportunity for the Swans to come away with something here, though I think ultimately we may come up short.