Blackburn Rovers head to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland on Monday, 26th December. The match kicks off at 12:30pm and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

What's at Stake?

Blackburn Rovers are currently in third place, eight points behind the leaders, while Sunderland sit in 13th, three points outside the play-off spots.

Team News

Sunderland will be without Danny Batth and Elliot Embleton due to injuries. Edouard Michut returns from injury, but Alex Pritchard remains sidelined. | Player | Status | | --- | --- | | Danny Batth | Out | | Elliot Embleton | Out | | Edouard Michut | Available | | Alex Pritchard | Out |

Last Meeting

The two teams last met in October 2022, with Blackburn Rovers winning 2-0 at Ewood Park.

Recent Form

Sunderland's recent form is LWWLD, while Blackburn Rovers have LWLLW. | Team | Form | | --- | --- | | Sunderland | LWWLD | | Blackburn Rovers | LWLLW |

Head-to-Head

The head-to-head record between the two teams is evenly matched, with Sunderland winning three, drawing four, and losing three of their last ten meetings.

Referee

Darren Bond will referee the match, having issued 83 yellow cards in his last 35 games. He will be assisted by Philip Dermott and Richard Wild, with Scott Oldham as the fourth official.

What the Managers Have Said

Tony Mowbray, Sunderland's manager, acknowledges that Blackburn Rovers are a tough opponent, saying: 'They have had some amazing results... We have to be respectful of what they've got and individual talent on the pitch can hurt any team.' John Dahl Tomasson, Blackburn Rovers' manager, expects a tough match, stating: 'Going to Sunderland, a massive stadium, probably sold-out, the time isn't'