We know it. They know it. The Charlton game was important but Saturday’s battle of third-top, Sunderland, versus second-top, Luton Town, is immense.
The stakes are perfectly simple. Win and Sunderland go second in Luton’s place, still enjoying a game in hand. Lose and we lose that game-in-hand advantage as the Hatters will have stretched the gap between us to four points.
A draw, disappointing as it would be to fail to improve on the 1-1 outcome at their place, would at least leave things as they are, though a glance at the fixtures shows top-of-the-table Portsmouth have an eminently winnable home tie against Blackpool. Sunderland and Jack Ross have to show they can rise to what will be a high-pressure occasion.
Your task is the guess the score at the Stadium of Light.
Monsieur Salut is beginning to clear up the seasonal backlog and get prizes out to recent winners, including our own associate editor John McCormick, whose baby grandson James will one day thank him for the mug he’s about to be sent.
So we’ll offer the traditional mug again – with a suitable alternative for a Luton winner – for the first reader to post the correct scoreline, before kickoff of course, and to have a UK delivery address.
There’ll be much more by way of buildup, not to mention a look at the Checkatrade cup clash with Newcastle United youngsters. Those who enjoy a sensible flutter on football may well want to check the latest live betting odds.
For now, though, Ha’way the Lads.
Paul is the winner. Unless his mug shelf is full
I distributed them amongst family, now I am starting on the entire Dutch population. ?
1-1
Sunderland 4 – 1 Luton, surprised this prediction was still left its won two mugs this season already.
Slow coach me has, once again, missed the sensible winning options. I’ll go for 2-2. Luton have already shown that they are no pushover.
Managerless Luton could well respond in a positive way. We have a new defender who may or may not feature. Could be an interesting game.
4-2 to the lads
The Lads to win 3-1, good time to go second.
2-0 to the lads
I will be chauffered to the ground in the Heart of England branch EXECUTIVE coach in order to see the inexplicably elusive 4-3 win materialise. Our crowd will be simply magnificent, you see.
40 thousand ish including 4000 from Luton. I love the third division.
There can only be one outcome – Six – nowt. Power, Maguire, Wyke, Baldwin, Sinclair (yes I know!) Wyke in that order.
1-0 to the lads. Another clean sheet.
A last minute scorcher to give us all 3 points, 2-1 Sunderland win but any win will do
Fower nowt.
3-2
Maja, Wyke, McGeady
The eternal optimist says 3-0 to the lads maybe a couple of new faces in by then but fancy a clean sheet and a good win