Story of the day as Portsmouth put four past Sunderland after Marcus Harness and Lee Brown goals plus John Marquis brace at Fratton Park

With doubts over Cirkin and Doyle, here’s the Sunderland side we think could start against Portsmouth.

Dan Neil has been excellent so far this season but looked a little leggy against Bolton and dropped out of the side on Tuesday.

Leon Dajaku impressed after coming off the bench against Cheltenham and could be in line for his first league start for the Black Cats.

Predicted SAFC XI: Hoffmann, Winchester, Flanagan, Wright, Huggins, Evans, O’Nien, McGeady, Embleton, Dakjaku, Stewart.

According to our sister title The Portsmouth News, Pompey could change their shape to play with a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Predicted Portsmouth XI: Bazunu; Romeo, Raggett, Williams, Brown; Tunnicliffe, Morrell; Hackett, Curtis, Harness; Marquis

And here’s what Danny Cowley said when asked about facing Sunderland.

“I think it is a great game for us.

“I think it is probably the perfect game for us because I suppose everyone will have Sunderland as the favourites in the moment that they are in compared to the moment we are.

“To be back in Fratton Park will be a great opportunity for us to put the recent disappointments behind us.”

Asked if there were any games bigger in League One than Portsmouth vs Sunderland, Cowley said: “This year, there is a lot of big clubs isn’t there?

“I think eight ex-Premier League clubs, I think someone said 14/15 FA Cups between us.

“I think between the managers something like 50 promotions, so it is a top league with some big clubs and some top players in it. It is incredibly competitive.”

Here’s what Johnson had to say about today’s opponents: “Time is so important for managers, especially at big clubs,.

“You don’t get a job when everything is rosy in the garden. It’s probably 1 in 100, when someone has moved onto bigger things because there’s been a big transfer.

“Danny has gone into a huge club.

“I know him really well and have got a lot of respect for his work, we do talk on quite a regular basis.

“He’s a really good recruiter and a really good manager, so I think that Portsmouth have got absolutely the right man there. That will show as time goes on.

“I think like of all us, we’ve had to cut our cloth and that’s not easy, it means you’ve got to make some difficult decisions. They’ve lost some good players over the summer but they’ve also brought some good players in.”

To find out more about the Black Cats’ next opponents we caught up with chief sports writer Neil Allen at our sister title The Portsmouth News to get the inside track on Pompey.

Here’s what he said when asked about the players to look out for: “Joe Morrell, a Welsh international midfielder plays every game. He started every game at the Euros and has really come into it since they have been playing with the wing-back system. He has been outstanding the last few games in central midfield.

“It was a quiet start after they signed him from Luton but he has been getting better and better so is one to keep an eye on.

“Up front they have big issues. John Marquis has one goal in 11 games, eight goals in 42 and he sort of sums up the problems they have in the central striking area. That is a big issue for Pompey.

“Others to keep an eye on, Sean Raggett, a centre-half, has had a really good season and Mahlon Romeo who is on loan from Millwall, a wing-back.

“Romeo looks a really good signing, direct, pacy, attacking, he’s an attacking full-back whether he is wing-back or right-back and bombs on down that wing.

“He is a Championship player who left Millwall for other issues so Pompey have got a real coup to have him.”

Read more HERE

Despite taking 10 points from their first four league games, Pompey have now gone eight games without a win and were beaten 2-1 at Burton last time out.

Danny Cowley’s side have slipped to 13th in the table and have some injury concerns ahead of the match.

Saturday’s game might come too soon for Arsenal loanee Miguel Azeez, despite the midfielder returning to training following a groin injury.

At the back Clark Robertson is out with a hip injury but Connor Ogilvie, who has been sidelined for several weeks, could return.

Lee Johnson made five changes to his starting XI against Cheltenham on Tuesday and has some injury concerns ahead of today’s match.

Nathan Broadhead was forced off with a hamstring injury against the Robins and now looks set for a spell on the sidelines.

Dennis Cirkin missed the Cheltenham win as he went through the ‘return to play’ concussion protocols and it remains to be seen whether he will be risked at Fratton Park.

Centre-back Callum Doyle was also absent on Tuesday due to a minor back problem and will be assessed.

Lynden Gooch has missed Sunderland’s last three games with a foot injury but could return to the matchday squad against Portsmouth.

Sunderland are back in action today and have travelled to Portsmouth for this weekend’s League One fixture.

The Black Cats moved back to the top of League One after a convincing 5-0 win over Cheltenham last time out, but this will surely be a tougher test.

Pompey have struggled in recent weeks, though, and haven’t won for eight matches in all competitions.

We’ll have all the build-up ahead of the match, as well as in-game analysis and post-match reaction.

Stick around and refresh the page for live updates.