Sunderland ended their 14-match winless league run in midweek with a resounding 4-0 home victory against Bolton and how they needed it. A terrible sequence of results has seen the Black Cats slip from challenging for a European spot to facing the serious threat of a relegation battle. That win has given Steve Bruce a bit of breathing space but now they’ve finally won a match, I expect another good performance against Man City with that monkey finally off their backs.

The 4-0 win over Bolton was exactly what Sunderland needed; they kept a clean-sheet and scored plenty of goals. Prior to this, the Black Cats have kept two clean-sheets in their previous 14 games and had failed to net in four of their last six. Darren Bent grabbed a hat-trick which will have restored his confidence after scoring one goal in his previous six league games. Darren seems to enjoy playing against City as he has scored five goals in his last seven starts against them.

When you consider the quality Steve has assembled at the Stadium of Light it is hard to fathom why the team has performed so poorly in recent months. He has a decent squad and spent a fair amount of money in the summer but confidence is a massive factor in football and the longer a poor run continues, the more worried he must have been.

Sunderland have beaten the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal at home this season and although the wins have dried up, the Black Cats have not lost many in front of their home fans. However, they have drawn far too many games, including four of their last five at the Stadium of Light. For a team that boasts a quartet of strikers such as Bent, Kenwyne Jones, Benjani and Fraizer Campbell, Sunderland have struggled for goals both home and away. Until they struck 4 past Bolton, the Black Cats had not scored more than a single goal in each of their previous seven home matches and have now failed to score in three of the last six.

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Manchester City returned spectacularly to form in their last match when they won 4-2 at Stamford Bridge ending Chelsea’s unbeaten home record. This also ended a 4-match run without a win in all competitions which has seen City relinquish 4th spot and crash out of the FA Cup. However, they’ve had a decent break between games now so should be fit and ready for this one. Roberto Mancini’s team are the only side to boast an unbeaten home league record this season but he has not been able to cure City’s travel sickness. The victory at Chelsea was only the Citizens 2nd away league win in 12 matches on the road and this record needs to improve if City are to finish 4th. Only Stoke have drawn more away games than City’s six, so a draw seems a likely result here. However, with confidence high and Sunderland having already played this week, I am backing City to pick up a massive three points on Premier 10.

The Citizens have a superb record against the Wearsiders. They’ve won each of the last 9 meetings including four successive away wins at Sunderland. City’s Craig Bellamy is likely to be centre of attention too for he is a former Newcastle player and has scored more goals against the Black Cats than any other team in the Premier League (6 goals). Therefore, with confidence high, I’m backing Bellamy and co to take the points at the Stadium of Light. With an estimated £30,000 jackpot to be won this weekend, who will you back?

Tags: Alan Hansen, Football Pools, Man City, Premier 10, Sunderland

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