Rotherham vs Sunderland prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2023-12-28 19:45.
Rotherham got Leam Richardson off the mark with a Boxing Day win over Middlesbrough, their first victory in 12 games (D4, L7). Having lost all three games under Richardson beforehand, the recently-appointed boss said his players “honesty and effort” had been rewarded, though the Millers situation remains a damning one. Rock bottom of the Championship, they’re nine points from safety and haven’t won back-to-back games since October 2022.
Doing so now would be very timely, but would require Rotherham to buck a trend of losing their final league match in each of the last three calendar years. Notably though, United have won both of their last two home games against Friday’s opponents Sunderland, scoring seven goals in the process!
Coincidentally, the Black Cats also picked up their first win under a new manager on Boxing Day as Michael Beale’s men ran out 1-0 winners at Hull in his second game in charge. Scoring first away from home in the league for just a third time this season, that was Sunderland’s first win in seven on the road having lost four of their previous six (D2), and left Beale “delighted with the mentality” his players had adopted.
They now occupy the last play-off spot by virtue of goal difference, and if Beale needs any positive omens ahead of Friday night’s trip to South Yorkshire, he’ll find one in the fact that Sunderland haven’t lost their final game in a calendar year since dropping out of the Premier League in 2016 (W4, D2 since). Fancied strongly by the bookies to continue their strong end of year record, Sunderland now also have the chance to complete a league double over Rotherham for the first time since the 2004/05 campaign!
Key battle: Rotherham shot stopper Viktor Johansson averages 4.2 saves per game, the most of any goalkeeper in the division, and will likely be called into action frequently against Sunderland, one of eight teams in the Championship who average over five shots on target per 90. Jack Clarke has netted 11 league goals for the Black Cats already this term, with his three most recent coming in the final 15 minutes.
Hot stat: Both teams have scored in six of the last seven H2Hs between these two sides, with Sunderland scoring at least once in all nine of the most recent meetings.