Having represented Middlesbrough during his playing days and in the dugout, any fixture against his former club will always be important to Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray.
Even if the 59-year-old wanted to strip emotion away from the occasion, he may not choose to with Sunderland requiring a bounce-back from last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at home to Swansea City.
After Luke O’Nien’s 18th-minute dismissal, the odds were always going to be against the Black Cats, and the result ended a four-game unbeaten streak in the second tier.
Sunderland have now won just four of their 13 home fixtures this season, leaving them with the sixth-worst home record in the division, and it has undermined their excellent efforts away from the Stadium of Light.
While Sunderland will only have eyes on closing the gap on their upcoming opponents, they only sit three points clear of 15th place.
From Middlesbrough’s perspective, Michael Carrick will view this as another opportunity to strengthen their bid to secure a place in the playoffs.
After conceding five times against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup, extending a run of just one clean sheet in 11 games, Carrick may have had concerns heading into a meeting with in-form Millwall last weekend.
However, his players responded with a 1-0 victory over the Lions, Marcus Forss’s goal early in the second half proving to be the difference.
Boro are now three points clear of seventh spot, and they make the short trip to their neighbours having prevailed in five of their last six away fixtures in the Championship.
