In form strikers

By The Black Cats
January 17 2009

Today's visitors to the Sunderland Stadium of Light are Martin O'Neill's high flying Aston Villa. Villa are currently in 4th place while Sunderland remain lodged in the midst of a glut of clubs currently battling to stay clear of the Premier League drop zone.

Villa continued their impressive run of form with a 2-1 victory over West Brom last time out, although they were made to work hard for all three points by their derby rivals.

The visitors are in impressive form on their travels, winning seven of their last nine on the road and each of the last four at Arsenal, Everton, West Ham and Hull.

Sunderland's survival last season was built largely on their impressive home form, but they have already suffered five defeats in the North East this term.

Black Cats striker Djibril Cisse has scored three goals in four games against Villa, and has found the net four times in his last six Stadium of Light outings.

Team news
Midfielder Steed Malbranque will miss out against Villa after receiving his fifth caution of the season in last weekend's 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough.

Kieran Richardson is expected to be available despite requiring stitches in a head wound he sustained at the Riverside.

Phil Bardsley has recovered from a virus but defender George McCartney (foot) and goalkeeper Craig Gordon (ankle) remain on the sidelines.

Villa duo John Carew and Wilfred Bouma returned to training this week but will not be considered for the Wearside trip.

Carew has been sidelined for the last two months with hip and back problems while Bouma suffered a broken and dislocated ankle against Odense in July.

O'Neill has no new injury problems to report and is expected to stick with the players on duty for the victory against the Baggies.

Possible starting XIs
Sunderland: Fulop, Chimbonda, Nosworthy, Ferdinand, Collins, Reid, Whitehead, Richardson, Diouf, Cisse, Jones.

Aston Villa: Friedel, Laursen, Davies, L Young, Barry, Petrov, Sidwell, Milner, Reo-Coker, Agbonlahor, A Young.