The Opposition: Sunderland

Full Club Name:
Sunderland Association Football Club

Year Formed:
1879

Nicknames:
The Black Cats, The Mackems

Ground:
Stadium of Light

Capacity:
49,000

Manager:
Steve Bruce (2009 to present)

Chairman:
Niall Quinn (2006 to present)
(Niall Quinn's disco pants)

Mascot:
Samson and Delilah (black cats)

Probable Starting Line-Up:

Gordon
-
Hutton - Turner - Mensah - Ferdinand
-
Campbell - Cattermole - Richardson - Malbranque
-
Jones - Bent

Top Scorer:
Darren Bent: 19 (in all)

Player to Watch:
Darren Bent - Bent is in a rich vein of form having scored 19 goals for The Black Cats this season including a hat-trick over nose-diving Bolton in midweek. The excellent duo of Vincent Kompany and Joleon Lescott must contain Bent in order to ensure City come away with those crucial points.

Sunderland Last 6 Form Guide:
Draw, Draw, Draw, Loss, Draw, Win = 7 points

City Last 6 Form Guide:
Win, Loss, Win, Draw, Draw, Win = 11 points

Current Table Position:
14th. Played 28. Won 7. Lost 12. Drawn 9. Goal difference -8. Points 30

Club Records:
Most Appearances: 627 Jimmy Montgomery
Most Goals: 228 Bobby Gurney
Record Attendance: 75,118 v Derby, FA Cup, 1933
Record League Win: 9-1 vs Newcastle, 1908
Record transfer fee paid: £10m for Bent from Tottenham, 2009
Record transfer fee received: £5m for Michael Briggs to Leeds, 1999

Famous Sunderland Fans:
Paul Collingwood (England Cricketer)
Steve Cram (Ex-athlete)
Martin O'Neill (Manager)
Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Bouys)
Kate Adie (News presenter)
Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand)