Black Cats to feast on travelling Shrews

A misfiring yet excellent Sunderland side for League One level play host to Shrewsbury Town without their manager Steve Cotterill who is thought to be still in hospital recovering from COVID-19. The visitors have only played once this year and not in the league since December 29, when they recorded their fourth 1-0 win in five games, having tightened up considerably since the appointment of Cotterill. The Black Cats are still fancied for promotion however going up automatically looks like nothing but a pipedream at the moment with them sitting in ninth. They are three points off the playoffs and nine off the top two, in a confusing League One top half where teams have mainly played a different amount of matches than the sides around them.

Process

Lee Johnson’s hosts are trending as an automatic promotion side in the expected goals data. Ranking second for both expected goals for and expected goals against, they have scored 28 from 31.6 expected and conceded 17 from 19.3. In a very evenly matched division the gulf between second and ninth is a lot smaller than in most other leagues, they must be more consistent if they are to gain promotion this season at the third time of asking. Their seven game unbeaten run came to an end in midweek, falling to a 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light against newly promoted Plymouth Argyle.

If it was not for the Shrews new manager bounce they would be firmly planted in the relegation zone, they are now 17th three points above the trapdoor with games in hand. Although if their watertight defensive form cannot continue to produce zeros and ones, clean sheets or conceding just once then they will be in trouble again. They come into this match a little rusty after a long break between league action.

Goals?

I was originally excited about a double involving an unders play for this matchup but it is so short on the market there is little value. The goal line sits at around 2.25. With the Black Cats attacking contingent I am not willing to take that play.

• Sunderland have scored in eight of 10.
• Sunderland have conceded in six of 10.
• Sunderland have seen both teams score in five of 10.
• Sunderland have seen over 2.5 goals in four of 10.
• Shrewsbury have scored in nine of 10.
• Shrewsbury have conceded in five of 10.
• Shrewsbury have seen both teams score in four of 10.
• Shrewsbury have seen over 2.5 goals in two of 10.

Both sides are built off solid defensive processes, but the Black Cats are far superior and should take the three points at least.

Sunderland - Shrewsbury Town Betting Tip

Sunderland (-1) Handicap with bet365 at odds of 13/10 or 2.30.

Bet Sunderland (-1) Handicap on Bet365