The Black Cats, indeed, could have their relegation confirmed against Bournemouth at the weekend unless they can stave off the drop for a little longer by beating their rivals.
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All that is left to play for is pride, though, as the two clubs meet for what could be the last match between the pair in the top flight for some time.
TV CHANNEL & LIVE STREAM
In the UK, the match will not be broadcast live on television.
In the US, the match will be available to watch live on television on NBC’s Premier League Extra Time channel and by stream via NBC Sports Live.
SQUADS & TEAM NEWS
Marten de Roon was injured against Bournemouth and is expected to miss out, while Gaston Ramirez is suspended. Victor Valdes and Grant Leadbitter missed that 4-0 defeat with rib and hamstring injuries respectively, and are considered doubtful.
Potential starting XI: Guzan; Barragan, Chambers, Gibson, Friend; Traore, Forshaw, Clayton, Downing; Gestede, Negredo.
Paddy McNair, Duncan Watmore and Jan Kirchhoff will not play again this season for Sunderland, while Bryan Oviedo is also in danger of missing the rest of the campaign with a hamstring injury.
Sebastian Larsson is suspended but Billy Jones should be available having returned to training after a concussion.
Potential starting XI: Pickford; Jones, O’Shea, Denayer, Manquillo; Ndong, Cattermole, Gibson; Khazri, Defoe, Borini.
BETTING & GAME ODDS
Middlesbrough are 13/10 favourites to win at home, according to Oddschecker, with Sunderland priced at 5/2 and the draw available at 23/10.
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Alvaro Negredo is the 9/2 favourite to score first, with Jermain Defoe priced at 6/1. ‘No Goalscorer’, though, may be tempting at 9/1.
GAME PREVIEW
A complete lack of attacking quality and intent has cost both Sunderland and Middlesbrough, who are the only teams in the Premier League who have not scored 30 goals so far this season.
The fact that Jermain Defoe has accounted for 14 of the Black Cats’ 26 goals should embarrass his attacking team-mates, while Alvaro Negredo has been responsible for eight of the Teessiders’ 23 strikes.
Aitor Karanka paid with his job in March but David Moyes has stayed in his despite Sunderland’s even more alarming slide to the foot of the table, where they will surely end the campaign. Repeatedly changing managers has created instability at the Stadium of Light but it can hardly be claimed that Moyes has inspired confidence that he is the solution.
The Scot has signed several ex-Everton and Manchester United players who have had little to no impact, with fans left baffled as to why Adnan Januzaj, as one example, has started 17 games to Wahbi Khazri’s five.
Khazri finally got in the lineup against West Ham, scored directly from a corner and created five chances, two more than the rest of the team combined. He helped to earn Moyes a rare point but perhaps did not do much for public opinion on his competence.
