Sunderland 3 Wycombe Wanderers 1: Story of the day as Cats go top of League One table after Ross Stewart brace and Elliot Embleton strike
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First-half goals from Ross Stewart and Elliot Embleton put Lee Johnson’s side in control against their promotion rivals, who were unbeaten in the league before their visit to Wearside.
Stewart added a second goal seven minutes from time before Wycombe substitute David Wheeler pulled a goal back in stoppage-time.
Here’s how the game played out as the Black Cats claimed all three points.
RECAP: Sunderland 3 (Stewart, 14, 83) (Embleton, 17) Wycombe 1 (Wheeler, 90)
Key Events
- Sunderland XI: Patterson, Winchester, Flanagan, Doyle, Cirkin, Neil, O’Nien, Gooch, McGeady, Embleton, Stewart
- Subs: Burge, Huggins, Alves, Wright, Pritchard, O’Brien, Broadhead
- Wycombe XI: Stockdale, Grimmer, Jacobson, Tafazoli, Obita, Kaikai, Thompson, Scowen, Mehmeti, Hogan, Vokes
- Subs: Przybek, Wheeler, De Barr, Dickson, Pendlebury, Burley, Akinfenwa
How Sunderland will start
One change for Sunderland from last weekend’s win over Wimbledon in League One.
Cirkin returns at left-back, with Pritchard dropping to the bench and Neil moving into midfield.
Patterson keeps his place in goal.
How Wycombe could start
Here’s the Wycombe side which started their 1-0 win over Lincoln in their last League One game.
One to watch - Sam Vokes: After joining Wycombe from Stoke in the summer, Vokes, 31, has made a promising start at his new club, scoring twice in his first four league games.
How the visitors are shaping up
Wycombe have taken 10 points from their opening four League One fixtures and beat Stevenage on penalties in the Carabao Cup last time out.
Ainsworth welcomed defender Ryan Tafazolli back from injury against Stevenage, while the likes of goalkeeper David Stockdale, Jack Grimmer, Curtis Thompson and Sam Vokes are expected to return to the starting XI.
Former Sunderland midfielder Josh Scowen has been a regular in Wycombe’s side so far this season after leaving Wearside at the end of last season.
Predicted line-up
Here’s the Sunderland XI we think could start today: Burge, Huggins, Flanagan, Doyle, Cirkin, Neil, Winchester, Gooch, McGeady, Embleton, Stewart.
After missing the game against Blackpool in the cup, players like Ross Stewart, Elliot Embleton, Aiden McGeady and Lynden Gooch are expected to return to the side. O’Brien’s performance against Blackpool will give Johnson something to think about though.
Tom Flanagan and Callum Doyle have impressed at centre-back in the league so far this season, while the additions of Niall Huggins and Dennis Cirkin should allow Carl Winchester and Dan Neil to move into midfield.
It will also be interesting to see if Johnson recalls Burge in goal or sticks with Anthony Patterson.