Sunderland’s life under Michael Beale got off to a shocking start when they lost 3-0 in his first game at the Stadium of Light, so the former Rangers boss will be looking for a much better result when Preston visit on New Year’s Day. 

Places in the Black Cats team for their crunch FA Cup game against arch rivals Newcastle will be up for grabs, while Preston will be looking for more of the spirit that helped them to a 2-1 win over promotion-chasing Leeds, rather than the poor show they put in when losing to struggling Sheffield Wednesday last time out. 

Match Odds

Sunderland are searching for their eighth home league win of the season and are 8/15 to collect another three points, while Preston are 9/2 to cause a shock and bank a fifth away victory of the campaign. The draw is available at 11/4. 

Punters can get 10/11 that both teams will find the net at the Stadium of Light, while the Black Cats are 6/4 to win to nil. 

Their top goalscorer Jack Clarke is 4/1 favourite to score the game’s first goal and 6/4 to net at any time for the third successive league game. 

Team News

New Sunderland manager Michael Beale could make changes but Niall Huggins, Dennis Cirkin and Bradley Dack are still unavailable. 

Preston manager Ryan Lowe has no fresh injury concerns but it may be a little while before Emil Riis is handed a start as he eases his way back from long-term injury. 

Over 2.5 goals @ 5/6

Both of these teams have been difficult to trust lately, but there should be a few goals at the Stadium of Light in the first Championship match of the new year. 

Sunderland are still on the edge of the play-off race, but they have lost five of their 12 home games this season and it is a dangerous game to back them at the Stadium of Light at odds-on, especially as they were turned over 3-0 by Coventry in their last home game. 

Preston are equally unreliable, which was perfectly illustrated last week when, in the space of a few days, they beat highflying Leeds before losing at home to struggling Sheffield Wednesday. 

So, from a betting perspective, it seems more sensible to back there being at least three goals in the match, something that has happened in seven of Sunderland’s last eight home games and in four of Preston’s last five on the road. 

#PickYourPunt - Jack Clarke to score, Brad Potts to be shown a card & over 5.5 Sunderland corners @ 17/2

There are three elements that appeal enough to be incorporated into a #PickYourPunt selection that will pay out at 17/2 if it is successful. 

Jack Clarke has scored 12 goals for the Black Cats this season and has flourished this term, so take him to score at any time, just as he has done in Sunderland’s last two games - against Hull and Rotherham. 

Preston right-back Brad Potts has been booked eight times this season and four of those have come in his last seven matches, so it would be no surprise if he was cautioned again. 

Meanwhile Southampton are the only team in the Championship to have earned a greater average number of home corners than Sunderland this season. The Wearsiders post a mean figure of 6.8 at the Stadium of Light, so it is worth supporting them to get at least six against North End.