Score Predictions: Blackburn vs SAFC

Yesterday at 01:00 AM

A huge SAFC following will cheer on The Lads today, despite their Xmas Day hangovers - can we get three wins on the bounce in Lancashire?

A Very Merry Christmas to all our readers!

Last time out…

The mighty Mackems once again came back from behind to get their second win in a row at home to Norwich last weekend.

Despite another slow start during which we went behind to a sloppy goal, the boys bounced back into it in the second stanza with another welcome goal from Ballard.

The Maestro Jobe finished the 10-man Canaries off with a fine curling effort about 20 minutes from time, and we held on despite Norwich trying hard to get back on terms, despite losing a defender two minutes before we took the lead.

Today we cross the Pennines to Blackburn, who have slightly better form than SAFC - they have one loss and four wins in the last 5, we have one loss, one draw and three wins.

With The Black Cats winning last time out and Blackburn losing away at Millwall, this will be a decent test for both teams and could be very telling for the top six maths come early summer.

'The Champion' Martin Wanless predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 0 Sunderland 1

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Mayenda

Blackburn were on a good run of wins before losing in the last minute at Millwall, and they seem to be a little streaky - having lost the three games before their six game winning run - so hopefully we can take advantage and get what would be an excellent 3 points.

Team selection will be interesting as I think we could see Aouchiche come in on the left with Mayenda up top - regardless, I'm going for Mayenda to get back among the goals with the only goal of the game.

Malc Dugdale predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 0 Sunderland 1

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Isidor

This is a mini six pointer, that cannot be denied, however with us coming off two confidence boosting come-back wins, and Millwall beating Blackburn at the weekend, if it comes down to momentum we may well have the edge.

I think Mayenda will get at least 30 mins up front but I think the gaffer will stick with Isidor for the first hour. After both these lads came very close against Norwich, I can see Wilson opening our account and adding to his.

If we take a point that won't be a bad outcome, but if we can nick all three and see other results go our way, we could get back into the top two.

Bring the W home boys.

Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 0 Sunderland 2

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Isidor

The comeback kings were on song again against a determined Norwich team, and Blackburn pose a different threat, being in great form, although they wobbled last time after being beaten late on by Millwall.

Blackburn will fancy themselves at home and are trying to breathe down our necks, but are finding it hard to keep up!

We need to cut out some of this defensive silliness. Caught again from a short corner, and better teams will seriously punish us.

Fortunately, we're still finding the back of the net and the lads are determined to keep us flying.

It must be Wilson time now surely? I've been backing him for weeks now, and haven't been able to shout "Wilssssooonnnnn" Tom Hanks style for too long. He'll get us on our way, and we'll get a good away win.

Will Jones predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Jobe

Blackburn losing at the weekend whilst also losing their top player has been helpful to the cause.

This is a huge game and with Sheffield playing Burnley, we are in a position where a win puts us even closer to the summit, whilst a loss puts us top of the chasing pack.

We are getting through games (barely) and without any injuries. This is key in such a tight schedule with so much to play for.

I hope we can start a streak of Blackburn losses, and create a true top four and really push for the top 2.

Matty Foster predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Mayenda

Another game, another comeback, and another vital win.

We face a significantly more challenging fixture in the shape of Blackburn, whose 1-0 defeat to Millwall ended a run of six consecutive wins.

They sit in the play-off places and are doing better than most people anticipated at the start of the season.

Interestingly, they seem to lose back-to-back games, having done so twice this season. So, hopefully, that's a pattern that continues today.

Do I think we can win? Of course I do. But I have a feeling this Boxing Day clash will end in a draw.

Bomber Davies predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Mayenda

Whilst we have gotten ourselves out of jail the past couple of games, the performances haven't been hugely inspiring on the whole.

Blackburn's form had a hiccup last time out at Millwall so will have shown the lads they are certainly beatable.

At the Stadium of Light, I'd have gone with a home win, but with it being Boxing Day, and away… I'll instead go with a respectable away draw against a fellow promotion rival.

Gary Winter predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1 Sunderland 1

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Isidor

Another hard-fought victory last Saturday brings us to three wins and a draw from the last four, which has us back on track and keeps us firmly in the promotion mix. Results were always a necessity to overcome our winless run, but performance-wise we still aren't overly convincing. Albeit character and spirit certainly aren't in question.

Blackburn's run of six straight league wins came to an end but they will undoubtedly provide a huge test. Boxing day games really can go in any direction and don't always follow any kind of form though. I'm just hoping they've had a few more ports, mince pies and cheese than us. It's a very tough fixture on the road in front of a packed out away end, however I'm going to have to sit high up on the fence for this one and go for a 1-1.

Groundhog Day - I'm not sure how many more times I can back Isidor to bag but here we go again - Boxing Day goal for Wilson in front of 7,000 delirious Mackems!

Brett Lyons-Davis predicts...

Score prediction: Blackburn Rovers 1 Sunderland 2

Sunderland's first goalscorer: Isidor

Sunderland head to Ewood Park backed by a bumper away crowd off the back off another good result v Norwich.

Rovers sit directly below us and with a game in hand over us will be up for the win. This should play into our hands a bit as we seem to struggle against teams who shut up shop.

We are not as tight defensively as we have been so I can see both sides scoring. Hopefully the big man in red and white has given our own big man in red and white Wilson Isidor some goal scoring boots and he opens the scoring.

Last game predictions

Two of our writers got the score spot on in Gary and Brett, and gathered three valuable points for the RR mini league table.

Everyone else backed the lads to win but with no-one expecting Ballard to get his second goal in two games, the points for first scorer stayed unclaimed.

Latest standings

Malc hangs on to top spot by calling the win, but Gary storms into second thanks to his more accurate forecast.

It will be interesting to see if Gary can carry on this great run, as he was once our basement dweller, and is now the in-form writer for predictions for sure.

Brett joins the growing peloton four points from top, meaning we have 4 points between top and 6th. Jack is only a point behind that. Matty is staying in touch, but only just, and needs an accurate prediction more than anyone.

How the points are awarded

Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:

• Correct score = Three points
• Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
• Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goal scorer is a valid call)
• Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = Yellow Card warning, then a two point deduction.