Sunderland will head South with a potential goalkeeping problem with first choice Vito Mannone awaiting the result on a scan on his arm for a possible fracture.

Sunderland do not have good memories of St Mary's in the last couple of visits, just under 2 years ago they were slaughtered 8-0 and then last season just as they thought it was all over, it wasn't with Virgil Van Dijk hammering in an injury time equaliser that at the time looked likely to prove the nail in the coffin for relegation for the Black Cats.

Therefore they are now sweating on whether Vito Mannone will be fit for Saturday, however it doesn't look good for the Italian keeper on the arm injury he suffered in training earlier in the week, the fact that it is being scanned suggests that he is in some pain and even if the arm is not broken, it may not be in top shape to play on Saturday.

If that is the case then Sunderland could be in trouble, back up is 22 year old Jordan Pickford, who although has substantial experience at lower league level having been loaned out to various League clubs by Sunderland for over 100 appearances, the most recent being Preston last season where he made 24 appearances before being recalled by Sunderland, has only played twice in the League for the Black cats, both last season in a 4-1 defeat at Spurs and a 2-2 draw at Watford.

That will not inspire confidence in Sunderland fans especially with the the defeat of two years ago fresh in the memory.

It will take a mammoth effort by Saints to beat that, however the fact that it is a Premier League rookiie in goal will surely inspire them to have a few more pops at goal than they have in the first two games, where the accusation is that at times they have wanted to walk it into the net.

Photo: Action Images

Bettwsresident added 18:11 - Aug 24 can he be worse than Vito..this is a non story.
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aceofthebase added 19:53 - Aug 24 Off subject but we can't be letting Martina go to Everton. RK could see he was better than Cedric as a defender and that is why he played Martina and not Cedric. Another backward step if true.
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SaintNick added 22:49 - Aug 24 Is that the Martina who kept going walkabout at home to Liverpool and kept giving them one on ones with Forster ? I liked Koeman, but for some reason he fell out with Cedric, Martina wasn't even a good back up, although he had a few average games at the end of the season
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aceofthebase added 07:44 - Aug 25 Cedric goes zooming up the wing and you do not call it walkabouts. Cedric fails to win tackles. Cedic passes to the opposition more time than to his own players. Cedric fails to track back at speed to prevent crosses. Cedric out of position so many times against Watford and looking like a lost soul. Little Cedric out jumped in defense and fails to put attackers under even any pressure. Defend the indefensible if you like Nick but Martina is still by far the better defender and he is not that bad in attack,in fact quite good. RK didn't fall out with Cedric he simply judged who was the better defender, much more important than best attacker.

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