Sunderland v Aston Villa - preview

TEAM NEWS

Sunderland may lack defensive options, with Younes Kaboul out and John O'Shea and Sebastian Coates both doubts.

Wes Brown will also be assessed after making his comeback from injury in midweek, while midfielders Jack Rodwell and Sebastian Larsson are sidelined.

Aston Villa duo Jordan Ayew and Ashley Westwood serve one-game bans after accumulating five yellow cards.

Midfielder Carlos Sanchez is out with a hamstring injury and Gabby Agbonlahor is struggling with a back problem.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Alistair Mann: "While survival seems a long way off for both, the loser of this game will surely start to feel even more desperate.

"Putting the "six pointer" clichés to one side, the fact is that Sunderland and Villa each probably need a further 10 wins from their remaining 19 games and this fixture will have been targeted by both clubs as the first of them.

"Though the Black Cats' almost annual surge for safety means their supporters will be more used to this predicament than most, even their patience will wear thin if they don't beat Villa.

"And while you get the sense the visitors have begun to resign themselves to their fate, victory at the Stadium Of Light will at least allow them to ponder those 'you never know' feelings."

Twitter: @alistairmann01 

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce: "We must hold our nerve because this is going to be one nervy affair on Saturday.

"The game is so big that we all have to hold our nerve and give ourselves the encouragement that if we can perform at the very best level that we hit against Liverpool, but are a touch better in the final third, we will beat Aston Villa on the day."

Aston Villa manager Remi Garde: "I am still very frustrated not to have won a game but I am still looking at it with an optimist's view.

"The victory will come soon and that will change the mood of the changing room and the players too.

"I am very focused on what I have to do. I know it's getting difficult but there are still 19 games to play and 57 points to win. There are still enough to reach the target."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

This could be ugly.

Whatever happens in this game is not going to change Aston Villa's fate - they will be out with the empties at the end of the season.

Sunderland are still fighting for survival though - the danger for them is that they always look like conceding.

Lawro's full predictions v Match of the Day commentator Steve Wilson

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in ourPredictor game.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last nine games against Sunderland (W4, D5), a run stretching back to January 2011.
• The Black Cats have failed to score in four of their last five games against Villa and six of their last eight.

Sunderland

• The Black Cats have scored nine Premier League home goals this season - only Aston Villa, with six, have a lower total.
• Defeat would mean Sunderland lose six successive Premier League games for the first time since a similar sequence between August and October 2013.
• Sunderland have made eight first-half substitutions in this season's Premier League - three more than any other side.
• Their tally of 38 goals conceded is the worst record in the top flight.

Aston Villa

• Villa have scored 15 Premier League goals this season - the lowest total in the top flight.
• Their shot conversion rate is 9.8% - the poorest in this season's Premier League.
• Villa have taken eight points from their opening 19 games - only two Premier League sides have claimed fewer points (Sunderland had six in 2005-06 and Derby had seven in 2007-08).
• They are winless in 18 league games (D5, L13) - including eight under Remi Garde (D4, L4).
• Gabriel Agbonlahor has scored five goals in his last five Premier League appearances against Sunderland.