Sunderland host high-flying Sheffield United in the Championship on Saturday afternoon with both sides in search of their first wins at home and away from home respectively.

The Black Cats have won once this season, a 3-1 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road, while The Blades have started their first season since promotion to the Championship well with a 100% home record although their away needs improvement.

Black Cats hoping to put an end to home hoodoo

Sunderland fans are well aware that their side haven't won at home for some time, but may be surprised to find that their last home win came in December 2016 against Watford thanks to a Patrick van Aanholt goal.

After a promising start to the season which saw them go unbeaten in their first three against Derby County, Norwich and Sheffield Wednesday, manager Simon Grayson looked to have made his side tough to beat which is something they certainly weren't last season.

Their hard work has come undone in the last couple of weeks however, with consecutive defeats to Leeds United and Barnsley seeing them score no goals and concede five highlighting that the defensive issues are yet to be ironed out.

A busy deadline day saw fringe players Papy Djilobodji and Wahbi Khazri depart on loan while Marc Wilson, Callum McManaman and Jonny Williams were all brought in, with the former two on permanent deals while Williams joined on a season-long loan from Crystal Palace.

Sunderland fans will hope for a repeat of the last scoreline this fixture threw up in 2005, when a Marcus Stewart goal handed them three points at the Stadium of Light.

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Blades boss delighted with impressive start

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder is pleased with his side's start to the season since being promoted four months ago, and has said that The Blades "should have taken a point" from their last away defeat at Middlesbrough.

Despite losing their two away games against Middlesbrough and table-toppers Cardiff City, the League One champions have surprised Championship sides with their approach, with Wilder stressing he wants to "play exciting football".

Last season's top-scorer Billy Sharp has continued from where he left off with four goals in five league games, including a brace in their most recent win against Derby at Bramall Lane.

Home wins against Barnsley and Brentford as well as The Rams have seen Wilder's side maintain a 100% home record so far this season, and you have to go back to January to find their last home defeat, which came at the hands of Fleetwood Town.

Deadline day saw The Blades sign Motherwell centre-back Ben Heneghan and Birmingham City forward Clayton Donaldson on permanent deals, while missing out on several players including Watford forward Jerome Sinclair.

Team news

The latest injury news on Wearside is that winger and leading assist-maker Aiden McGeady could miss Saturday's game with a hamstring injury he sustained on international duty, with Grayson saying "if there’s any doubt we won’t play him".

Long-term absentees Paddy McNair and Duncan Watmore are still yet to return to full fitness, while 18-year-old striker Josh Maja will also not be involved in the matchday squad after undergoing knee surgery last month.

Sheffield United are without striker Leon Clarke, who serves the second game of this three-match ban after his sending off against Barnsley, as well as forward Caolan Lavery who underwent an operation to repair a damaged eyesocket earlier in the week, with Wilder saying he'll "be out for four weeks or so."

Predicted line-ups

Sunderland (4-4-2): Ruiter; Oviedo, Koné, Browning, Jones; McManaman, Cattermole, Ndong, Honeyman; Vaughan, Grabban.

Sheffield United (3-5-2): Blackman; Basham, Heneghan, O'Connell; Freeman, Coutts, Duffy, Fleck, Stevens; Sharp, Donaldson.

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About the author
Jack McGraghan
Sports Journalist from the University of Sunderland.