With only two games left to play in the current League One season, Sunderland could certainly throw the black cat amongst the pigeons on Tuesday night, with their hopes of automatic promotion to the Championship not dead and buried just yet.
After Cambridge lost centre-back Lloyd Jones to an early red card after just 12 minutes on Saturday, Sunderland breezed through with strikes from Ross Stewart (2), Nathan Broadhead, Danny Batth and Elliot Embleton to keep their hopes of a top-two finish alive in emphatic fashion.
Not even their spot in the playoffs is secured just yet, but Sunderland are sitting pretty in fourth and can close the gap to Rotherham and MK Dons to just three points with a win on Tuesday night, with Wigan Athletic out of sight for Alex Neil’s in-form side.
Now boasting an 11-game unbeaten streak in the third tier and winning each of their last five at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland have set themselves up well for a clash of this importance, but a final-day meeting with lowly Morecambe at least gives them an insurance buffer should they need it.
The Easter period has not been a memorable one for Rotherham as they seek an immediate return to the second tier of English football, but Paul Warne’s side chose an ideal time to return to winning ways during the visit of Oxford United on Saturday afternoon.
Truly defining the term zero to hero, Dan Barlaser’s own goal broke the deadlock with 10 minutes gone, but Rotherham levelled through Rarmani Edmonds-Green on the stroke of half time before Barlaser returned to the manager’s good books with the winning spot kick in the 66th minute.
Despite opening the month of April with three defeats from four in the third division, Rotherham’s Championship destiny is still in their own hands as they remain second in the rankings – three points behind champions-elect Wigan and only clear of MK Dons on goal difference.
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Rotherham will be praying for Portsmouth to do them a favour against Wigan on Tuesday night – the Millers could go top of the rankings if the Latics fall to defeat
on matchday 45 – but they have failed to win any of their last four League One games on the road and have not found the back of the net even once in that streak.
The visitors certainly have happy memories of a 5-1 thrashing of Sunderland on their own turf back in October – a true Halloween horror show for the Black Cats – and revenge will be on the minds of the promotion-chasing hosts at the Stadium of Light here.
