Premier League preview: Sunderland v Wolves

Sunderland have a major opportunity to move into the Premier League’s top 10, and regain some good form, when they host Wolves on Saturday.

Martin O’Neill’s men are winless in their past four matches in all competitions, and strangely were kept scoreless against Everton (FA Cup), Tottenham and Everton again (league) yet put three goals past Manchester City custodian Joe Hart in the same run.

However, they have a good chance to notch a win when they tackle the hapless Wolverhampton, who could be officially relegated as of Monday, should the latter fail to win and Wigan triumph away at Arsenal.

Wolves boss Terry Connor has been defiant in the face of near-certain demotion from the top flight, and this fixture could prove to be the final blow, as they have lost seven matches in succession, and won just one of their past 21 in all competitions.

Coincidentally, their second-most recent triumph came at home to Sunderland in December, when a late Steven Fletcher brace cancelled out Kieran Richardson’s opener to secure victory for the then Mick McCarthy-managed Wolves.

That result continued Wolves’ dominance over their Northern opponents, as the Midlands club have now won their past four Premier League meetings.

Goals can be expected in this fixture as both sides have scored in each of their past 11 matches against one another in an extraordinary run of attacking football.

The last time either side kept a clean sheet in the fixture, Sunderland took a 1-0 away win over Wolves when they were both in the Championship in February, 1998.