Martin Wanless predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 3 Everton 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Dan Ballard
This feels like a game “old Sunderland” would lose.
You know the one — returning pantomime villain, big crowd, etc etc. But this is different.
We are different.
‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 3 Everton 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Granit Xhaka
After that fantastic away win at Chelsea, the Lads will have a spring in their step tonight and with the visiting gaffer being someone we all want to fail dismally (as he did for
us), there’s plenty of incentive for the home side to get another win.
While Everton lost both of their last two and conceded five goals in the process, most teams will lose by a couple away at Manchester City. The 0-3 home loss to Spurs will have cut deeply though — especially with it being their first loss at their new stadium.
Xhaka will show the way for me, hopefully with a twenty-five yard screamer.
The place will be rocking and the top three is beckoning. Let’s have it.
Jack Howe-Gingell predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 3 Everton 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Wilson Isidor
That was massive — it doesn’t get much better than a last-minute winner away at a side like Chelsea.
The jeers of “You’ve played no one yet” are starting to fade and there was an air of people taking us just a little more seriously.
Everton will offer a different challenge. A team that’s been tipped to struggle but are bumping along in mid-table at present, despite losing their last two games.
The sprinkling of magic from Jack Grealish has been their biggest boost, and he’ll be the main man to stop. The mercurial wide man offers a real threat but I fancy our lads to relish the challenge of playing against someone so talented.
I think our first appearance on Monday Night Football since our return will be a fruitful one. I think we’ll have too much for Everton in the way we play and I fancy us to stick another Premier League feather in our cap, with Isidor keeping up his great record so far.
Will Jones predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Everton 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Wilson Isidor
Monday night under the lights at the Stadium of Light? Proper football, proper occasion.
The Chelsea win was magic; limbs everywhere and a little reminder that this team isn’t just here to survive — it’s here to ruffle feathers.
Everton are a weird one. Not terrible, not great, just sort of… there.
Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye are their sparks and they’ll need watching, but beyond that they look like a side that’s waiting for something to happen rather than making it happen, which suits us just fine.
We’ve got momentum, we’ve got belief, and we’ve got Wilson Isidor. He’ll get us off the mark — probably after a bit of chaos in the box — and from there I think we’ll control it.
Solid at the back, sharp in midfield, and just enough bite up top.
Haway the lads!
Matty Foster predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Everton 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fée
After the Stamford Bridge heroics, we go into our first MNF of the season against the Toffees. We’re riding on the crest of a wave right now, and I keep pinching myself when looking at the table.
Everton will see this as a great opportunity to get back to winning ways after two successive defeats.
I look forward to seeing the return of a certain Mr Pickford, but less so for another familiar face, and I don’t even want to write his name down for fear of triggering my PTSD.
A victory would taste so sweet against that dour Scottish b*****d, but I have a feeling it’ll end level.
Anthony Gair predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 3 Everton 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Wilson Isidor
I don’t follow Everton but I do expect that their manager has told them they’re in a relegation battle by now?
I think we have what it takes to get into these and continue to prove that we’re capable of battling at the very top of this table.
Yeah, we’re all waiting around for the run of defeats everyone is determined we’re going to go on, but what if we don’t and we continue to pick up points — particularly three in this instance?
What happens if we beat Everton and grab something against Arsenal?
God. I can’t wait. I also think Jack Grealish must be stopped, but I’m sure that’s been said above.
Haway!!!!
Gary Winter predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Everton 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Wilson Isidor
I can’t think of many better away days I’ve witnessed first hand than last weekend. Unbelievable scenes, completely surreal, and against one of the Premier League’s big boys. The team and the fans were absolutely immense.
Now we’ve got to keep that momentum going against an Everton side with one win in seven in all competitions. I really hope the crowd are up for this one, as I’d love to get one over on David Moyes — it’s been a long time coming and we’ve not forgotten.
It would be fantastic to stuff these 4-0 or 5-0 but I won’t let emotions get the better of me, so I’ll opt for Jordan Pickford picking the ball out of his net a couple of times to Robin Roefs’ none.
Isidor is the man in form, scoring all different types of goals, so I’m backing him to do it again in front of a loud crowd under the lights.
Brett Lyons-Davis predicts…
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Everton 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Wilson Isidor
Well, who could’ve seen us winning 1-2 away at Stamford Bridge? Oh yeah, me, but enough smugness for now.
As much as Chelsea was a “free hit”. Everton at home for me would be one at the start of the season you would say we need to be picking up three points, and the way the Lads are playing, I can’t see us not winning.
Hopefully the fans don’t spend their focus booing the returning angel of death David Moyes, but that they fully back the Lads as we keep seeing what a massive effect it has.
Big Wilson will carry on his fine scoring run at the Stadium of Light this season, getting the Lads off and running as “title-chasing Sunderland” keep up with those above.
Last time out…
Not many saw us winning at the Bridge but yet again, we showed that we’re less relegation candidates and more European challengers — especially if we can keep up this momentum.
After going behind in the first five minutes, Sunderland of old may have drifted to a heavy loss in such a challenging away tie at the Club World Cup Champions’ home ground, but this side is made of sterner stuff.
Our set piece tactics got us level about a quarter of the way through the game and, as is our thing these days, we scored a really well-worked goal in the ninety-third minute to take the honours.
Tonight, we have a different challenge on our hands against a team looking over their shoulders a bit, with only one win in the last five and three losses — as well as “you know who” in the dugout. It would be just like him to find a result on this day of all days. We have to hope not.
The time has come to show this man what could’ve been if he was anything like the kind of coach that Régis Le Bris is.
We have to hope karma really is a massive bitch and we give Moyes what we all want: a proper hiding.
Last game predictions…
Most of the lads were happy to predict a draw and to hope for that, as some clearly thought Chelsea were a step too far for us at this point.
How wrong we were, and how happy we were to be so!
Brett came out on top, calling the result for a game he went to see live. Though his smugness is already getting annoying, for some of the Roker Report exiles collective (who went to see a lot of dross as a group, across the last few years) to witness such a great day out, that was heartwarming for all at RR.
Consolation points were gathered by Jack and Matty for seeing Wilson Isidor continue his fine Premier League form, with nothing for everyone else.
Predictions Table and Standings
Brett extends his lead at the top of the table as we complete the first quarter of the season.
Jack has a comfy-ish lead ahead of the chasing pack, whereas Gair and Martin remain the pillars of strength at the foot of the table.
How the points are awarded
Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:
- Correct score = Three points
- Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
- Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid call)
- Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.
