I know that many supporters, as well as captain Lee Cattermole were saying this about the game at Wolves, but the clash with Fulham is one that Sunderland need to win if they are to show any potential for breaking into the top 6 of the Premiership. The defence did very well against an enterprising West Ham last weekend, and playing together in tough games will help the back five to gel. Steve Bruce, having broken his 6-year duck in London with that amazing destruction of Chelsea last time round, now will have been focusing on improving the communication along the back line, and this was evident in the latest clean sheet against the Hammers.

Fulham badly need a win after 6 games without a win has left them in the bottom four, a spell that has produced just 3 points from a possible 18, but 10 of their 15 points have come at Craven Cottage, where Sunderland have not enjoyed a great recent record. Fulham did pretty well at Arsenal last time out, though, with just the brilliance of Nasri separating the sides, and even so they can very close to a 2-2 draw, despite the Gunners' territorial advantage in that game.

Although we know that there are definitely no easy games in the Premiershp, at least this season, the Mackems will need to again unleash Bent, Gyan and Welbeck to make sure they outscore the Cottagers, provided Gyan recovers from a toe injury. With only 20 goals in 16 games, Sunderland need to improve their scoring record, and if they can emulate some of the form showed in their last game in the Capital, all should be well.

PS Some further reflections on the change of managers across the Tyne – this topic has been featured heavily in the media this week, and some of the wisest words have come from the universally respected Kevin Keegan here on Soccernet: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=851112&sec=england&root=england&cc=5901, and I quote: I do not understand the decision to get rid of Chris. I lived with the same people for eight months - I didn't understand them then and I don't understand them now, and I don't think many of the fans do. When a man buys a club like Mike Ashley did, and he knows as little about football as he does, he is likely to make these sort of mistakes and these sort of judgements, and still think he is doing okay.

The Daily Telegraph’s coverage has also been right on the money, with an excellent set of quotes from when the last 5 managers have come and gone from the club: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/8184521/The-troubled-story-of-Newcastle-Uniteds-managers-in-the-Mike-Ashley-era.html - it is alarming to see how many of these have left when the club was in 11th place in the League. So my advice to Alan Pardew is, don’t keep the team in mid-table if you want to keep your job...
©Lars J.S. Knutsen