The hosts' rotation gives the visitors a chance: Sunderland vs Hull City prediction
The third-round EFL Cup match between Sunderland and Hull City will take place on 8 September at the Stadium of Light. The hosts are preparing for a busy spell featuring Premier League fixtures and the start of their Europa League campaign, while the visitors head into the cup tie after a confident start to the season.
Sunderland: priorities may shift towards the league and Europe
Régis Le Bris's side have collected four points from their opening three Premier League matches. After losing to Ipswich, Sunderland beat Fulham before drawing with Brentford.
The club face a difficult schedule ahead, including their Europa League debut. As a result, the coaching staff are likely to give opportunities to squad players and new signings, which could affect the team's cohesion.
Hull City: strong start and reliable defence
Hull have started the new season very confidently, beating Manchester United and Coventry before drawing 0-0 with Aston Villa. Sergej Jakirović's side have now kept clean sheets in three consecutive matches.
In the previous round of the EFL Cup, Hull eliminated Stoke City after a penalty shootout. Their squad depth allows the visitors to rotate without suffering too significant a drop in quality.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Sunderland have collected four points from their opening three Premier League matches.
- Hull have kept clean sheets in their last three league matches.
- Hull have failed to win in normal time in their last 10 EFL Cup matches.
The visitors can take advantage of the hosts' rotation: Sunderland vs Hull City prediction
Sunderland have a quality squad, but preserving resources ahead of their league fixtures and the start of their European campaign is currently more important for the club. Against that backdrop, this cup tie could become an opportunity for extensive rotation.
Hull look more settled, defend confidently and have enough squad depth for a match like this. Therefore, the visitors have a good chance of progressing in normal time.
