Trai Hume has been penalised by the referee at least once in each of Sunderland’s last 5 games. He was booked at the Stadium of Light in the reverse fixture, and also at the Riverside when these two sides met 12 months ago.

Hume could be up against Delano Burgzorg, Ben Doak or Morgan Whittaker, all of whom are fouled more than once per 90 on average this season.

Team Captain Dan Neil will be well up for this one. A boyhood Sunderland fan who has been at the club since the age of 9, this game will mean more to him than most.

That passion has boiled over in this fixture in the last, having seen a red card in October 2023.

He commits more that 1 foul per 90 on average this season, and has made 7 across his last 5 games,

Doak commits 1.3 fouls per 90 this season, and has 7 yellow card to his name to show for it.

He will likely have to deal with the combination of Dennis Cirkin (draws 1.7 fouls per 90) and Enzo Le Fee, who has already drawn 2 yellow cards from opponents despite having only played 3 matches in England.

Isidor has been The Black Cats main striker this season, and has done pretty well with 9 goals to his name.

He averages 1.3 shots on target per 90, and has tested the keeper 8 times in the last 5 games, with at least 1 shot on target in each.

He is Sunderland’s main goal threat and will therefore surely get a decent sight at goal in this game.

This bet has landed in 11 of Middlesbroughs 15 home matches this season, and 14 of Sunderland’s 15 away games, giving a combined percentage of 83%.

The bookies make this a 73% chance so we’re getting a slight bit of value in predicting the total number of corners.

At the Riverside this season, the opposing team has picked up more cards than Boro on 9 occasions out of 15. Overall, Boro’s opponents have picked up the 2nd highest total of cards collectively.

Boro average1.6 cards per game at home, whilst Sunderland average 2.3 per game on the road.

Doak has picked up the second highest total of yellows for Boro this season, 7 in total. This is more than double the total of the 3rd highest.

His likely direct opponent Dennis Cirkin is fouled 1.7 times per 90, whilst new recruit Enzo Le Fee has also proved to be a skilled ball manipulator in his early displays.

Doak is one of Boro’s 2 main card threats, the other being George Edmundson but we’re not as certain he will start.

Jobe Bellingham has 7 yellow card and 1 red against his name this season, making him the most carded player for Sunderland.

An interesting wrinkle is that 7 of those 8 cards have been picked up away from home, from just 13 appearances, which means he’s been carded in 54% of away games.