da supremo： Phil Parkinson may be tempted to revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation which was so devastating in the 5-0 victory against Tranmere in the last encounter between the two teams.
da bwin： The lack of goals against Doncaster should also be playing on his mind as he needs to find a solution to that problem, though that doesn’t mean he should throw out his tried and tested 3-4-3 style.
Since Sunderland moved to that formation against Blackpool Parkinson’s side have really turned their form around, going eight matches unbeaten and conceding just four goals in that period.
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Furthermore, Manchester United showed at the weekend that Tranmere’s defence can easily be got at, and given Rovers will be playing their third match in under a week when the Black Cats come to town, fatigue could also play a part.
Fitness could also be a concern for Parkinson, though his players have now had four complete days of rest, and given he has three new signings waiting in the wings he has the back-up of a strong bench to call upon.
One of those new recruits, Josh Scowen, could be in line to start, however, and if he does it is possible the visitors could line up like this at Prenton Park.
A place in the starting line-up for Scowen naturally means a midfielder has to drop out, and considering George Dobson has performed better than his partner Max Power this season, particularly off the ball, it should be a straight forward choice for the manager.
Dobson has achieved 2.6 tackles and 0.5 interceptions per league game and his battling nature in midfield can be vital to Sunderland having more possession and perhaps more importantly, preventing counter-attacks.
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That was vital against Doncaster last time out and could be once again in Birkenhead, as the difference in league position indicates that it is likely the visitors will dominate the ball.
Power, who has come under fire at times this term despite playing in every match but one under Parkinson, has one tackle and 0.9 interceptions per game, thus highlighting the difference between the pair, and shows why Scowen should come in, as the former QPR player has 1.6 tackles per game to his name this season.
In other news, Parkinson has issued a transfer update regarding one high-profile player at the club.