Walsall vs Sunderland Predictions

When they welcomed Sunderland to Bescot Stadium last weekend, Walsall would’ve been disappointed to have not won after they held a 2-0 lead with less than half an hour of normal time remaining, though their performance on that occasion should give them the confidence required to do well on this occasion, as will the fact that they knocked out League One opposition in the previous round.

This will be the second time in a week that Walsall and Sunderland have met at Bescot Stadium. Last weekend, the pair drew 2-2. That score-line would suggest that the pair were somewhat evenly matched, though that wasn’t the case. As they emerged with a +1.64 expected goal supremacy, the Saddlers were mightily unlucky not to come out on top. However, even that doesn’t quite tell the whole story. Walsall were dominant but that was largely down to the fact that Sunderland had a player sent off early in the match. That’s not to detract from Walsall’s pleasing performance, but has the Black Cats had a full 11 players on the field from start to finish, then it’s unlikely that they would’ve been dominated.

At home this season, Walsall have been useful going forward, but like so many teams, they fall short at the back far too often. Even against Sunderland’s ten men a week ago, the hosts couldn’t keep things tight as they surrendered a two-goal lead with less than 30 minutes remaining. Given that they’ve shipped an average of 1.84 expected goals at Bescot Stadium, it’s easy to see the hosts struggling to contain a visiting forward line that is anything but weak, especially if the Black Cats can avoid getting anybody sent off.

Sunderland won’t have been pleased to take just a point last Saturday and that showed when they came out firing against one of the best teams in the division on Tuesday evening. Their 4-2 win may have been fortunate in the end, but very few teams will cut through Barnsley like Sunderland did during the opening 45 minutes in the week. Having scored four goals against what is arguably the best back-line, clocking an impressive 2.43 expected goals in the process, the Black Cats are likely to be chomping at the bit to get at Walsall’s dodgy rear-guard.

Given that Sunderland managed to trouble Walsall with ten men last weekend, coupled with the fact that the Black Cats, who’re always a threat with Josh Maja leading the line, delivered an explosive attacking performance against a team that is far superior to the Saddlers on Tuesday night, the bet that stands out at the prices is ‘Sunderland to Score Over 1.5 Goals’.