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Recommended bets
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Match preview
These two clubs played out a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage 11 days ago, but there must be a winner this time as they reconvene on Wearside.
In the first fixture, Jack Clarke gave Sunderland a shock lead after just six minutes, only for Tom Cairney’s sweet second half strike to get Fulham back in it.
The away side thought they’d won it at the death through 15 year old Chris Rigg, but his stoppage time goal was disallowed for offside.
Thus, these two teams will require this replay to separate them.
Fulham are loving life in the Premier League right now, sat eighth, following Friday night’s goalless draw with West London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Marco Silva’s side have lost just two of nine matches, in all competitions, since the World Cup, and are genuine contenders for European qualification.
Sunderland meantime, also as a newly-promoted club, are ninth in the Championship, drawing 1-1 with Millwall on Saturday.
Tony Mowbray’s team have lost only two of their last ten league fixtures, so are a mere two points below the play-off spots.
Before beating Shrewsbury in round three, the Black Cats had lost four successive FA Cup ties, and haven’t featured in the fifth round since 2015.
So, which side will be hosting Leeds United on 28 February following this replay at the Stadium of Light?
Sunderland team news
Sunderland host strugglers Reading on Saturday, so are likely to put out a strong team for this tie.
Ross Stewart, who’s scored 11 goals this season, has suffered a long-term injury, meaning Joe Gelhardt, who’s just arrived on loan from Leeds, will start up front.
Aside from that, Tony Mowbray may well deploy the same team that almost won the first tie at Craven Cottage.
If Chris Rigg does score an FA Cup goal this season, he’ll become the youngest scorer in the competition’s 152 year history.
That record is held by Finn Smith, who netted the day after his 16th birthday for Newport (Isle of Wight) against Fleet Town in this season’s extra preliminary round.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Patterson; Hume, Ballard, Batth, Alese; Neil, Michut, Roberts, Amad, Clarke; Gelhardt.
Fulham team news
Marco Silva made seven changes for the first tie and, with a winnable game against Nottingham Forest to come on Saturday, may do something similar here.
Cup keeper Marek Rodák will return in goal, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Shane Duffy and Layvin Kurzawa are set to come into the back-line.
Deadline day signings Cédric and Saša Lukić, who arrived from Arsenal and Torino respectively, could be thrown straight in for their debuts.
Club captain Tom Cairney scored his first of the season in the original tie; he’s featured in all 22 Premier League matches this season, but has only started one of them.
After scoring the winner against Chelsea in January, can Carlos VinÃcius fire Fulham into the FA Cup fifth round in February?
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Rodák; Cédric, Duffy, Adarabioyo, Kurzawa; Palhinha, Lukić, Cairney, Wilson, Solomon; VinÃcius.
Sunderland vs Fulham: Head to head statistics
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