Phew, internationals nearly over. So Guess the Score as Sunderland visit Leicester

Greeks take a seafront stroll to get over the humiliation of defeat by the Faroe Islands
Greeks take a seafront stroll to get over the humiliation of defeat by the Faroe Islands


Love them or loathe them,
international breaks get in the way of the normal business of Salut! Sunderland. But for John McCormick’s sterling efforts, there has been nothing new here for days.

But that is partly a result of Monsieur Salut’s own international break, a long weekend in Thessaloniki, Greece’s second city, a port with a momentous history and home to one of our own Pete Sixsmith’s younger brothers, Phil, and his charming Greek wife, Veta.

Delicious food streamed to the table, along with plentiful wine, at a taverna run as a cooperative by people the Greek Sixsmiths know well. The taste of steak cooked in truffle oil will linger for some time. Phil was to regret just how plentiful the wine had been when he joined his cycling club’s Sunday morning ride and had to fight uncommon bodily resistance to the steep concluding climb (Pete has much the same problem with Busty Bank in Shildon).

With PAOK’s jarring black and white stripes unworn at the weekend, there was no football there either – unless you count the raw sense of national shame felt after the 1-0 home defeat at the hands of the mighty Faroe Islands which led to the former Chelsea boss, Greece’s manager Claudio Ranieri, being packed off on “leave of absence” for the rest of the year. I did find myself chatting to a shopkeeper about Sunderland’s lesser-spotted Charis Mavrias and we agreed the poor lad would probably have to move on to get a game.

Days from now, once the international friendlies and assorted other midweek fixtures are out of the way, normal business resumes and Sunderland visit Leicester City, hoping to build on a decent recovery from the Southampton debacle and home defeat by Arsenal by snatching at least a point.

Jake was Sunderland to turn on the King Power
Jake urges Sunderland to turn on the King Power

Will it be a draw, though? Will we go two points better and win? Or will SuperKev have his forwards fired up to send our team, once his, away empty-handed?

We have a double-header of a Leicester “Who are You?” to come as the week progresses but for now, just have a go at guessing Saturday’s score.

A Sunderland mug from the competition sponsor, Personalised Football Gifts, awaits the reader who is first to guess the correct score, necessarily doing so before kickoff. Leicester fans are warmly invited to join in; the prize would be suitably modified for such a winner.

M Salut’s decision, as ever, will be final.

Ha’way the Lads, with any luck safely back from international duty to do what’s expected of them at what was the Salt ‘n Vinegar Walkers crisp bowl and is now, as horrendously, Vichai Raksriaksorn’s King Power Stadium.

M Salut, drawn by Matt, colouring by Jake
M Salut, drawn by Matt, colouring by Jake

14 thoughts on “Phew, internationals <del>nearly</del> over. So Guess the Score as Sunderland visit Leicester”

  1. when was the last time we scored 4 away ? sat 22 nov 2014 we’ll all answer on sunday. Connor W to start his mini goal burst again, just in time for the big games coming up. Fraid we’ll leak a silly one at the other end but overall a magnificent 4-1 away win for the lads

  2. I think the lads will win 3-1 (don’t I always?!), but I’m going to be a bit more adventurous and plump for 3-0, it’s about time we kept a clean sheet.

  3. Fletch remains injured so Jozy steps up. Invigorated by his international success he puts 4 in, one with each foot, header and one when the keeper kicks it out and it bounces back in from Jozy’s bum.

    I’m not eligible for a mug so anyone wnating 0-4 can have it, with or without Jozy.

    • I’ll second that.

      For some reason I’m quietly confident about this one, which has to be the kiss of death!

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