Sunderland attacking threat compared to Championship rivals ahead of Preston North End test

Sunderland will aim to be on the front foot as they go in search of a second home win in three days when they face Preston North End at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.

After claiming an impressive win at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend as two Eliezer Mayenda goals helped the Black Cats to a 2-1 victory at Hillsborough, Regis Le Bris’ men made a winning return to Wearside on Saturday as they saw off a dogged and determined Cardiff City side. Once again, Mayenda was amongst the goals as he opened the scoring with just two minutes on the clock to ensure he continued his impressive work from eight days earlier.

Despite their struggles to avoid relegation from the Championship, Cardiff hit back four minutes before half-time thanks to goal from Isaak Davies - but it was Sunderland that claimed the win they wanted as on-loan defender Chris Mepham grabbed the decisive goal 13 minutes from time. That all set the scene for Tuesday night’s meeting with Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston side on what feels like another potentially pivotal midweek fixture list in the race for the Premier League.

Sunderland will have one eye on third placed Burnley’s home clash with play-off contenders West Bromwich Albion and second placed Sheffield United, who currently sit eight points ahead of the Black Cats, take on iin-form Bristol City at Bramall Lane. Those trio of fixtures come 24 hours before current leaders Leeds United aim to bounce back from their defeat at Portsmouth by returning to winning ways in their home game with Millwall.

Of course, Sunderland will focus on themselves and will look to take the game to a Preston side that are currently sat in the bottom half of the table. Creating chances has not been a problem for the Black Cats, despite several visiting sides aiming to hold them at bay at the Stadium of Light - but with all of their attacking threat, how does Sunderland seasonal expected goals (xG) tally compare to their rivals across the second tier?

How does Sunderland’s xG compare to their Championship rivals?

24. Plymouth Argyle - 31.71 23. Oxford United - 37.41 22. Derby County - 39.34 21. Cardiff City - 40.31 20. Preston North End - 43.8 19. Queens Park Rangers - 44.0 18. Luton Town - 44.25 17. Millwall - 44.51 16. Hull City - 44.81 15. Burnley - 44.96 14. Stoke City - 46.68 13. Portsmouth - 47.06 12. Blackburn Rovers - 48.7 11. West Bromwich Albion - 48.7 10. Watford - 48.9 9. Swansea City - 49.32 8. Sheffield United - 50.78 7. Bristol City - 51.46 6. Norwich City - 52.57 5. Sheffield Wednesday - 52.8 4. Middlesbrough - 55.48 3. Sunderland - 55.82 2. Coventry City - 60.99 1. Leeds United - 73.76

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