Jermain Defoe is undroppable and Victor Anichebe deserves another start '“ same again please

Other than a replacement for the suspended Steven Pienaar following his rather silly dismissal at Bournemouth, there is unlikely to be much of a reshuffle.

Much was made of Sunderland playing 4-4-2 at Dean Court. Passing lightly over the issue that it wasn’t exactly 4-4-2, it isn’t as important as we are led to suppose.

David Moyes’ answer when asked about playing 4-4-2 against Hull

Received opinion is that no one plays two up front these days. Well yippee for received opinion. Sunderland are surely going to play with two strikers on Saturday. Jermain Defoe is virtually undroppable and Victor Anichebe did easily enough at Bournemouth to warrant another start.

There is something of an obsession with formation.

When Lionel Messi and Sergio Agüero finally see the error of their ways and join Sunderland, I like to think that a way will be found to accommodate the pair of them in the side, rather than hear that playing both of them “doesn’t suit the system,” as a reason for preferring Will Buckley to Messi.

Idle fantasies aside; the system should suit your players and not the other way round.

Two up front again please.

David Moyes’ answer when asked about playing 4-4-2 against Hull