With some playoff places still to be decided on the final day of the Championship season, Sunderland face a tricky trip to Deepdale to face Preston North End on Monday.

Preston's season ended with defeat last weekend, but the visitors can still make the playoffs.

Match preview

For Sunderland to have any chance of finishing the regular season in the Championship's top six, they must win here in Lancashire.

On top of that, the Black Cats also need either Coventry City to lose or Millwall to fail to win, while hoping West Bromwich Albion do not win by four goals more than them.

The odds are stacked against Sunderland, but it would be an improbable achievement to extend their season into the playoffs, giving them an opportunity to become just the fourth side ever to win back-to-back promotion from League One to the Premier League.

Sunderland have without doubt been one of the most impressive sides in the league this season, being the first newly-promoted side to reach 65 goals in almost a decade.

To finish the season in style though, they will have to come and win at a ground where they have not done so since 2003, but they do enter the game in good form.

A run of eight games without defeat have kept their playoff dreams alive right until the very end, and they have some impressive results away from home to thank for that.

Tony Mowbray's side have taken 10 points from a possible 12 on the road, keeping three clean sheets in the process, as the only goal they have conceded in their last four away games was a West Brom penalty.

Three straight defeats away from home is what has been costly for Preston, as their playoff dreams were ended by Sheffield United last weekend.

Their 4-1 defeat at Bramall Lane meant they conceded 10 goals in those final three away trips and left them five points adrift of sixth place entering the final matchday.

The fact Preston are on a seven-game unbeaten run at Deepdale makes it even more disappointing, as they just failed to replicate that form in their away matches.

Fighting until the end has been a real strength of the side in recent weeks too, as their last two home games provided injury-time goals which earned them a win and a draw.

Their upturn in fortunes at home came too late though, because despite being seven unbeaten here, their first 15 home games of the season saw Preston win just 13 points.

Team News

Preston will remain without Irish duo Greg Cunningham and Alan Browne, but their compatriot Troy Parrott should start in attack.

While Sunderland had an Everton loanee to thank for some positive results at the start of the season, when Ellis Simms netted seven in 17 appearances, Preston have their very own in Tom Cannon, who has been in blistering form since arriving from Goodison Park, scoring eight in his last 13, and should partner Parrott.

Emil Riis and Ched Evans remain long-term absentees for the hosts in attack though.

Sunderland have an eye-watering list of injuries heading into this crucial encounter.

Danny Batth is one of the more recent injury concerns, and he is expected to miss out with defensive partner Ajibola Alese.

Ross Stewart is still absent in attack with an Achilles tendon injury, while Elliot Embleton and Jewison Bennette join him on the sidelines.

Northern Ireland internationals Daniel Ballard and Corry Evans top up the long list of stricken Sunderland players currently.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Storey, Bauer, Hughes; Potts, Ledson, Onomah, Johnson, Alvaro Fernandez; Parrott, Cannon

Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Patterson; Gooch, Hume, O'Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Pritchard, Amad; Roberts, Gelhardt, Clarke

We say: Preston North End 1-1 Sunderland

Preston have nothing but pride to play for but are on a great run at home and have not lost to Sunderland in their last six meetings, so they will hope to spoil their potential celebrations.

It is all on the line for Sunderland in a difficult looking fixture, but one good omen for them is that they have won their previous six final day fixtures in the second tier.


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