Perhaps a welcome break from league football as Sunderland & Port Vale face off to decide who makes it to next stage of the EFL Trophy. All the pre-match information is available here!
It's no vacation for neither Sunderland nor Port Vale as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.
Sunderland form and stats
Action has already taken place for Sunderland in EFL Trophy as they have defeated Oldham Athletic, Aston Villa U21, Carlisle United and Fleetwood Town to reach the 3rd Round. Last season, Sunderland's EFL Trophy journey ended in the group stage.Sunderland have played 9 League One games at their own stadium so far this season, resulting in 3-3-3 (wins-draws-losses). On the other hand, in the EFL Trophy, Sunderland has performed like this (both home and away): 3 wins, 0 draws and 1 loss. With three draws from their last three games overall it has been a case of neither great nor terrible for Sunderland. Their last two home games have resulted in two points, meaning they were both draws.
The home supporters saw a 1-1 draw versus Hull City in the League One last time out and are looking for a win here. Before that, Sunderland played out a League One draw 0-0 when visiting Northampton Town.
There will be little rest for Sunderland after this match as they are travelling to AFC Wimbledon for a League One game in only four days.
The Sunderland fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 9 in 9 matches. On the other hand, Sunderland have conceded 10 goals. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only -1 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 home matches.
Port Vale form and stats
The traveling awayteam has defeated Liverpool U21, Tranmere Rovers, Wolves U21 and Wigan Athletic in order to reach 3rd Round of EFL Trophy. They also participated in EFL Trophy last season. This ended in the 3rd round.The visitors are W4-D1-L6 on the road this term. That's in the League Two. When we have look at the EFL Trophy statistics, we find 3W-1D-0L. This is both home and away.
Port Vale had fun at their own home (Stadium of Light) last time out, beating Grimsby Town 3-0. Devante Rodney and Shaun Brisley scored. Prior to that match, the Port manager J. Askey faced defeat when travelling to Mansfield Town and losing 0-4.
The visitors will be packing their bags again in only four days as another away game awaits: The League Two trip to Forest Green Rovers.
Port has displayed an ability to score goals in away matches in the league this season, 17 goals from 11 games. Port struggle to build an impenetrable defensive wall in away matches with a total of 19 goals conceded from these games. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only -1 of these goals has been conceded in their last 3 away matches.
Head 2 Head
Top Goalscorers
  C. Wyke 8 goals |  D. Rodney 7 goals |  G. Leadbitter 4 goals |
Sunderland missing players
Port Vale missing players
| Sunderland | Port Vale | ||||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 25 | 14 | Played | P | 11 | 25 | ||
| 10 | 5 | Won | W | 4 | 9 | ||
| 10 | 5 | Drew | D | 1 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 4 | Lost | L | 6 | 12 | ||
| 40 | 23 | Scored | S | 18 | 37 | ||
| 23 | 16 | Conceded | C | 20 | 38 | ||
| 88% | 93% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 91% | 92% | ||
| 72% | 64% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 73% | 68% | ||
| 36% | 36% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 64% | 52% | ||
| 20% | 21% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 45% | 32% | ||
| 8% | 14% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 18% | 20% | ||
| 56% | 64% | BTTS | BTTS | 55% | 52% | ||
| 36% | 21% | Clean Sheets | C S | 18% | 20% | ||
| 20% | 21% | Failed to Score | F T | 36% | 36% | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1.2 | 0.9 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.5 | 1.4 | ||
| 3 | 2 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 3 | ||
| 13.4 | 13.9 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 10.2 | 11.2 | ||
| 4.7 | 4.9 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 4.5 | 4.1 | ||
| 34% | 33% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 36% | 36% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Lincoln City | 21 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 14 | 42 |
| 2 | Hull City | 19 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 31 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 37 |
| 3 | Portsmouth | 19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 32 | 15 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 35 |
| 4 | Doncaster Rovers | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 33 |
| 5 | Peterborough United | 19 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 30 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 33 |
| 6 | Accrington Stanley | 17 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 33 |
| 7 | Charlton Athletic | 20 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 24 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 5 | 32 |
| 8 | Ipswich Town | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 32 |
| 9 | Crewe Alexandra | 20 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 25 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 30 |
| 10 | Fleetwood Town | 20 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 29 |
| 11 | Sunderland | 18 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 29 |
| 12 | Oxford United | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 27 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 28 |
| 13 | Blackpool | 20 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 20 | 23 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 13 | -3 | 27 |
| 14 | Gillingham | 20 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 23 | 26 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 13 | -3 | 26 |
| 15 | Plymouth Argyle | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 28 | 37 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 21 | -9 | 26 |
| 16 | Milton Keynes Dons | 21 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 25 |
| 17 | Shrewsbury Town | 20 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 21 | 25 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -4 | 24 |
| 18 | Bristol Rovers | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -7 | 22 |
| 19 | Northampton Town | 21 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 36 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 19 | -17 | 22 |
| 20 | AFC Wimbledon | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 25 | 33 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 15 | -8 | 21 |
| 21 | Rochdale | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 23 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 16 | 15 | -7 | 19 |
| 22 | Wigan Athletic | 20 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 16 | -14 | 19 |
| 23 | Swindon Town | 20 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 25 | 41 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 23 | -16 | 17 |
| 24 | Burton Albion | 22 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 28 | 50 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 27 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 23 | -22 | 13 |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Carlisle United | 21 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 39 |
| 2 | Newport County | 20 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 31 | 21 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 38 |
| 3 | Forest Green Rovers | 22 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 28 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 38 |
| 4 | Cheltenham Town | 21 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 30 | 21 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 35 |
| 5 | Cambridge United | 21 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 33 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 10 | 13 | 34 |
| 6 | Crawley Town | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 34 | 28 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 6 | 34 |
| 7 | Morecambe | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 27 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 17 | -3 | 34 |
| 8 | Salford City | 21 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 28 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 33 |
| 9 | Leyton Orient | 22 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 32 | 26 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 6 | 33 |
| 10 | Exeter City | 19 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 40 | 26 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 22 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 31 |
| 11 | Walsall | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 27 | 30 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 14 | 16 | -3 | 30 |
| 12 | Colchester United | 21 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 27 | 29 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 10 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 19 | -2 | 29 |
| 13 | Tranmere Rovers | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 16 | -2 | 28 |
| 14 | Oldham Athletic | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 34 | 38 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 18 | -4 | 28 |
| 15 | Mansfield Town | 22 | 5 | 11 | 6 | 28 | 28 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 26 |
| 16 | Bolton Wanderers | 21 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 33 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 17 | -8 | 26 |
| 17 | Harrogate Town | 20 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 21 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 11 | -3 | 25 |
| 18 | Port Vale | 22 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 33 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 19 | -4 | 25 |
| 19 | Bradford City | 21 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 20 | 25 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 14 | -5 | 24 |
| 20 | Scunthorpe United | 21 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 22 | 32 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 15 | -10 | 23 |
| 21 | Barrow | 21 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 29 | 31 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 15 | -2 | 20 |
| 22 | Stevenage | 20 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 22 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 14 | -6 | 20 |
| 23 | Grimsby Town | 22 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 19 | 37 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 19 | -18 | 20 |
| 24 | Southend United | 20 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 33 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 17 | -20 | 16 |