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Match preview
With Fulham flying-high in the Premier League right now, could they be prime candidates to go on a memorable cup run?
The Cottagers are currently seventh on 31 points, more than they accumulated in the entirety of their last two stints in the top-flight.
Marco Silva’s side won their first four games after the World Cup break, but have lost each of their last two, both 1-0, against Newcastle and Tottenham.
Nevertheless, the Whites come into this tie as firm favourites to advance.
In round three, goals from Layvin Kurzawa and then Dan James saw Fulham beat Hull City at the KCOM Stadium.
The Cottagers’ sole FA Cup Final appearance came in 1975, beaten by West Ham, with their most-recent run to the quarter-finals coming in 2010.
Sunderland meantime won this trophy in 1937 and 1973, subsequently beaten in the 1992 final.
Three weeks ago, the Black Cats beat Shrewsbury Town at the New Meadow in the most dramatic of circumstances.
Ross Stewart equalised in stoppage time, only for Luke O’Nien to snatch victory even later in the additional period.
Before this, Sunderland had won just one of their previous nine FA Cup fixtures, last winning multiple ties in the same season in 2015 when, coincidentally, they ousted Fulham in a replay at this stage.
Last weekend, Tony Mowbray’s team prevailed in the Tees-Wear derby, beating Middlesbrough 2-0, with Stewart and then Amad on target.
This leaves the Black Cats ninth in the Championship, which is impressive, given that they’re newly-promoted.
Here though, Fulham should be too strong at Craven Cottage, thereby booking their place in round five.
Fulham team news
Ahead of a Friday night West London derby at Stamford Bridge, Marco Silva is likely to make a few changes to his XI.
Marek Rodák, Layvin Kurzawa, Tosin Adarabioyo, Tom Cairney, Harry Wilson, Dan James and Carlos Vinícius all started at Hull in round three, so are likely to be rotated in here.
Manor Solomon came off the bench against Tottenham on Monday night, so is now hoping for his first start since knee surgery.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Rodák; Decordova-Reid, Adarabioyo, Diop, Kurzawa; Chalobah, Cairney, Wilson, Solomon, James; Vinícius.
Sunderland team news
Ross Stewart is Sunderland’s danger man; the ‘Loch Ness Drogba’ has scored 37 goals since the start of last season.
Meanwhile, Manchester United loanee Amad, who also scored in last weekend’s derby win, has impressed since arriving in the summer.
Anthony Patterson is the regular number one, but Alex Bass could don the gloves for this one, as he did in round three.
Winger Patrick Roberts will face the side he left for Manchester City eight years ago.
Predicted XI (4-5-1): Bass; Hume, Ballard, Wright, O’Nien; Evans, Neil, Amad, Roberts, Clarke; Stewart.
