TipResumen

SUNDERLAND

It really feels like Sunderland have hit rock bottom after back to back relegations from the Premier League to League One and the decision of Ellis Short to sell the club has renewed optimism. There is no doubt that Sunderland are going to be the team to beat in League One this season and the new dawn has come with 22,000 season ticket holders committing themselves to the club. Stewart Donald has led the consortium which have purchased Sunderland and one of the first acts of the new owner was appointing Jack Ross as manager after his successes in Scotland. Money has been provided to Ross and Sunderland look to have brought in some solid players to replace the older heads whose big contracts were part of the reason The Black Cats dropped down a couple of Divisions. Sunderland actually finished bottom of the Championship table with the most points since 2014 and some may have felt they were unlucky not to have avoided relegation after some improvement under Chris Coleman. The former Wales manager was sacked towards the end of the season once the new owners came on board, and Jack Ross comes in appointed with trying to restore the feel good factor to the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats beat Wolves 3-0 here on the final day of last season, but that was one of just 3 home wins in the League in the Championship. That follows the season before when Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League with just 3 home wins in that campaign too so Saturday lunchtime is a big moment for the new manager.



CHARLTON ATHLETIC

Lee Bowyer remains the caretaker manager of Charlton Athletic and that is much to do with the ownership issue of the club remaining largely clouded over. There is a clear hope that Charlton Athletic will be sold and a new owner can provide the investment to restore the club to previous heights, but so far that new owner has not revealed themselves and the whole club remains in limbo. You have to credit the manager for guiding Charlton Athletic into the Play Offs last season before they came up short against Shrewsbury Town in the Semi Final, and some may feel repeating the top six finish is within the grasp of the club. However the key is steering clear of injuries and suspensions and Charlton Athletic will go into the opening weekend of the new season missing a number of players. There are suggestions that Charlton Athletic won't have the full substitute bench filled for the game on Saturday and it is a tough task for them anyway. The Addicks didn't play badly away from home last season having put together a 9-5-9 record in League One, but Charlton Athletic were beaten at 3 of the 5 teams that finished above them in the League table.



HEAD TO HEAD

Sunderland and Charlton Athletic will meet for the first time since the 2005/06 season when both clubs were playing in the Premiership. Charlton Athletic did the League double over Sunderland that season and they are unbeaten in 3 visits to Sunderland and have won on their last 2 visits.



PREDICTION

There are real feelings that Sunderland have reached their worst moment and the only way is up for the club who were playing in the Premier League just two years ago. Jack Ross has been given some assistance to invest in the playing staff and Sunderland look the team to beat in League One this season. This opening weekend game is a big test for them though as they face one of the Play Off teams from last season in Charlton Athletic. The Addicks will look at Sunderland with some envy in their eyes as they continue to search for new investment, but Lee Bowyer has kept the players focused and together. Bowyer will need all of his man management and motivational skills to extract a performance from the players on Saturday as Charlton Athletic will go into this one with a lengthening injury list. Key players are absent and they may not even bring 18 players to the North East for the early kick off. Sunderland should be good enough to take advantage, but I will back them on the Asian Handicap simply because they are not used to winning League games at the Stadium of Light. Over the last two seasons Sunderland have won just 6 out of 42 home League games played in the Premier League and Championship, but the new owners looked to have wiped the slate clean and they can give their fans something to cheer about very early in the new campaign.