It must be a huge relief for everyone at Sunderland that they can finally focus on the football again.

Their festive period was ruined by a bout of Covid and thus, they had four consecutive games postponed by the authorities.

A 0-0 draw wasn’t exactly the most ideal way to return to action last weekend and they now face a tough encounter against Hull City.

It’s a clash we’ve seen in the Premier League and Championship in the last decade but they now meet in League One amid multiple years of plight.

It will be interesting to see how Lee Johnson decides to line-up with his squad nearly back to full health.

Denver Hume and Luke O’Nien are still a few weeks away from a return but Callum McFadzean is set to be back in the squad this weekend.

With that in mind, we’re tipping the Mackems to make three changes from the side that drew with Northampton.

Lynden Gooch returns to the starting XI for the first time since picking up an injury towards the latter stage of November. He’s made a few substitute appearances under Johnson but now should be his time to fully prove his worth to the new manager.

That means that McGeady is dropped from the starting XI, but on the opposite flank, we also think that Jack Diamond will be taken out of the firing line. Consequently, Chris Maguire – their top scorer in League One last term – comes into the XI.

The other change is at left-back where McFadzean is fit enough to play again. Dion Sanderson deputised in that third of the pitch against the Cobblers but unfortunately misses out on this occasion.

The midfield has a familiar look to it while Conor McLaughlin continues at right-back with O’Nien out and recovering from a dislocated shoulder.

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