SUNDERLAND boss Lee Johnson says he is expecting “an entertaining match” when his side take on Wanderers on Saturday afternoon (KO 3pm).

Johnson’s men are second in the league table, only behind leaders Wigan on goal difference having won five of their opening seven matches.

The Black Cats’ only league defeat of the season so far came against Burton back in August.

Meanwhile, the Whites are in eighth place after picking up 12 points from their first eight fixtures back in the third tier.

The Sunderland boss praised Ian Evatt and says he was impressed by Wanderers’ performance against Burton earlier in the month.

“They are a really good side, I like them,” Johnson told the Sunderland Echo. “Possession-wise they are right up there.

“I watched them against Burton and they have some serious threats. With promotion last year, they have a good, young talented manager.

“I think it will be an entertaining match.”

Sunderland enter the game on the back of a 2-0 win at Wigan in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night thanks to goals from Nathan Broadhead and Luke O’Nien.

Despite making eight changes from the side that drew at Fleetwood last weekend, Johnson was delighted with his side’s performance at the DW Stadium.

He added: “We risked putting ourselves in a bad place in terms of momentum but got that back on Tuesday.

“The end of the game showed the work we had done around the last 20 minutes or so.”

Wanderers will be looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat against Rotherham when they head to the Stadium of Light.

The Whites are expected to sell out their allocation of 2,000 tickets for the League One clash.

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