Sunderland will aim to strengthen their position in the top six of the Championship table on their return to league action on Saturday, when they make the long trip south to take on Plymouth Argyle at Home Park.
Thanks to a positive run before the break, the visitors sit sixth, while their hosts find themselves 19th with a five-point lead over the bottom three.
Match preview
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Plymouth Argyle will return to action at Home Park on Saturday aiming to put further daylight between themselves and the Championship's relegation zone, having experienced a mixed start to the campaign after winning promotion from England's third tier last time around.
In their 16 league outings thus far, the Pilgrim's have managed 16 points while being particularly busy at both ends of the pitch, with only three teams having scored more than their 27 goals while only three have shipped more than the 27 they have allowed.
Of their four league triumphs thus far, all of which have come on home turf, the most recent was a 3-0 beating of fellow promoted side Sheffield Wednesday in late October, but Steven Schumacher's side have managed just one more point in their three attempts since, firstly falling just short in a 3-2 defeat away at high-flying Ipswich Town before playing out a 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough at Home Park as Morgan Whittaker earned them a point with a 77th-minute leveller after Bali Mumba and Finn Azaz had previously had them 2-1 up.
Aiming to return to winning ways before the November international break, the Pilgrims most recently faced an unenviable test to Elland Road to take on promotion-chasing Leeds United last time out, and they would again leave an away game empty-handed in a 2-1 defeat, as Ben Waine's 84th-minute goal was not enough to spark a comeback after Daniel James and Joel Piroe had the hosts 2-0 up inside half an hour.
While they cannot be too disheartened by the tough run given their three difficult fixtures on the bounce, Plymouth Argyle do still find themselves just five points above the relegation zone in 19th spot, and they will be desperate to increase their cushion and continue their pleasing home record with a return to winning ways at the weekend.
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Their schedule does not get any easier, though, as Sunderland travel south at the weekend aiming to pick up where they left off before the break and strengthen their place in the top six on the back of a strong start to the campaign.
After 16 matches, the Black Cats currently occupy sixth spot in the Championship with 26 points on the board having managed eight victories, with only one side outside of the top two having scored more than their 27 goals while only three teams have conceded fewer than the 17 that Tony Mowbray's men have shipped.
That is despite a run of three straight defeats at the hands of Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Leicester City in October, leaving them on 19 points from 13 outings, as the Wearside outfit bounced back in style before the break, firstly ending their minor slump with a 3-1 beating of Norwich City at the Stadium of Light thanks to goals from Trai Hume, Dan Neil and Jack Clarke.
A goalless stalemate in a tough trip to Swansea City then followed, before Mowbray's side most recently hosted Birmingham City and made it eight three-point hauls for the campaign with another 3-1 triumph, as Jobe Bellingham opened the scoring before a Dion Sanderson own goal restored their lead and Adil Aouchiche wrapped up the victory 14 minutes from time.
While that result did see them scrape back into the top six, Sunderland do only lead seventh-placed West Bromwich Albion and eighth-placed Hull City on goal difference on their return to action, while only trailing fifth-placed Preston North End by two points, and knowing they cannot afford to let up in the playoff fight, they will be desperate to pick up where they left off on Saturday with what would be a first league win on their travels since September in a tough trip to Home Park.
Team News
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Plymouth Argyle will remain without defenders Brendan Galloway and Saxon Earley, while strikers Ryan Hardie and Mustapha Bundu were both sidelined by injuries before the break and may not be fit in time to return on Saturday.
If they do miss out again, Luke Cundle and Ben Waine will fight to start up front in a 3-4-3 shape with support from the wings from Finn Azaz and Morgan Whittaker, who has already managed seven goals in 16 Championship appearances this term.
Bali Mumba is another danger man and will provide further attacking support from a wing-back role, while summer signing Julio Pleguezuelo should again join Dan Scarr and Lewis Gibson in a back three.
With key defender Dan Ballard likely remaining sidelined alongside midfielder Jay Matete, Tony Mowbray should deploy an unchanged Sunderland starting XI from their 3-1 win over Birmingham before the break, with Jenson Seelt and Nectarios Triantis again set to partner up in the middle of the back four despite competition from the returning Luke O'Nien.
The Black Cats should again set up in a 4-1-4-1 shape, with Pierre Ekwah anchoring the midfield and Jobe Bellingham and Dan Neil supporting lone striker Nazariy Rusyn, with Bellingham having already managed three league goals this term at the age of 18 years old.
Their key man in attack thus far has been winger Jack Clarke, who sits second in the league's scoring charts this season with nine goals, while Patrick Roberts should keep his place on the other flank.
Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Pleguezuelo, Scarr, Gibson; Mumba, Houghton, Randell, Kesler-Hayden; Whittaker, Waine, Azaz
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Patterson; Huggins, Seelt, Triantis, Hume; Ekwah; Roberts, Neil, Bellingham, Clarke; Rusyn
We say: Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Sunderland
While Sunderland have certainly enjoyed the stronger start to the season and boast the superior quality, they face a tough trip to Home Park to meet a Plymouth Argyle side who are strong on their own patch.
Although the hosts may not have what it takes to send the Black Cats home empty-handed, we do fancy them to take a share of the spoils on the south coast.
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Top tip
Sam Varley
