I was big on Stanley last season and early this, but they have lost their way and luckily I was quick to "dump" them, after starting 7-5-2 with an 18-13 GD, they are 2-4-9 subsequently, scoring 9 in 15, conceding at the rate of 1.67 per game. I have a lot of time for them as a team and head coach John Coleman, but he has been showing his "grumpy old man" side a bit too often recently and bemoaning match officials and the chances he feels his team have not been taking. Oddsmakers seem to agree and Stanley have been overrated for trips to Bradford and Scunthorpe already in 2019 where we opposed them and they lost both by a combined 5-0. They did have plenty of chances in the latter and sooner or later they will turn things around and we have to be waiting for that. In the meantime, they are better offensively than we have seen, but are opposable right now.

 

Sunderland need to get back on track, they are unbeaten in 9, but six of those were draws (all 1-1) and they are now 4th, 4 points off an automatic spot, albeit with a game in hand, but no one will finish top 2 by drawing every game and time to put that right. They have conceded in 11/15 home games, with most teams raising their game in front of a big crowd at the Stadium of Light. 40% of their games here have finished 1-1 and a bet I really like is Sunderland to win and BTS with "cover" on that scoreline. Sunderland remain unbeaten here and are probably one of the top 2-3 teams in L1, my numbers suggest top 2.