Football League World’s Chris Thorpe will be live from the PTS Academy Stadium on Saturday as Northampton Town take on an improving Sunderland side in Sky Bet League One, with both sides seeking to climb the standings in the weeks ahead.
Keith Curle and his Northampton charges will be seeking to build on Tuesday's 3-1 home victory over Gillingham this weekend as they seek to win two league games in a row for the first time this season.
Meanwhile Lee Johnson will be hoping to see another improved performance from his Sunderland players, with the former Bristol City manager slowly settling into life at the Stadium of Light after taking on the job earlier in December.
A victory for the Cobblers on home turf could see them move up to 17th place in the league standings if other results in the division go their way this weekend, whilst a win for the Black Cats could see them move to within just one point of the top six.
Team News
Northampton will be glad to be heading into this game with no new injury worries of note as they seek to build on their win in midweek, with the target of securing League One safety being at the forefront of the player's minds after what has been a testing start to the campaign for the Sixfields outfit.
Where as Sunderland will once again have to do without the services of long-term absentee Arbenit Xhemajli, with the defender having undergone surgery on his cruciate ligament injury earlier in the campaign.
The club from the North East will however be able to welcome back a host of first team regulars for Saturday's game, with many of them now back in training after a COVID-19 outbreak at the club meant four fixtures were postponed.
Northampton Town possible starting lineup (3-4-1-2):
Mitchell; Jones, Bolger, Sheehan, Hoskins, McWilliams, Sowerby, Adams, Watson, Rose, Ashley-Seal
Sunderland possible starting lineup (4-3-3):
Burge; McLaughlin, Wright, Flanagan, McFadzean, Power, Leadbitter, Scowen, Diamond, Wyke, McGeady
Statistics
This will be Northampton Town’s first league meeting with Sunderland since May 1988, a which ended in a 1-3 defeat at Roker Park for the Cobblers.
Sunderland are unbeaten in their opening eight league away games this season, which represents their best unbeaten start to a league campaign on the road since the 1998/99 season, in which they won 12 away games in succession.
How to watch the game?
The match will be available to watch via both club’s respective websites, with iFollow passes costing £10 per person.
Kick-off is 3pm.