Sunderland vs Wolves Prediction for 18 October 2025 - Football

🔊 Wolverhampton, who started the Premier League season with zero points up to the 5th round, have now picked up points in two consecutive matches. It's too early to say they've hit a consistent stride, but two draws against formidable teams like Tottenham and Brighton have sparked hope for retaining their top-flight status. Their next opponent is one of the early surprises of the season. Sunderland, newly promoted from the Championship, have managed to stay in the top ten despite this being their first Premier League season in nine years. Most intriguingly, they remain unbeaten at home on the "Stadium of Light." Will their successful run continue on Saturday, October 18th? Our editorial team provides an insightful prediction in this analysis.

Head-to-Head

📊 These teams haven't clashed for as long as Sunderland have been absent from the Premier League. Their last head-to-head in this competition dates back to 2012. More recent encounters took place in 2018, but those were in the Championship. In their last five meetings, Wolverhampton have had the upper hand with two victories compared to the Black Cats' single win. There have also been two draws. Interestingly, the aggregate score is tied at 5-5.

Sunderland Team Overview

Before the last Premier League round, the Black Cats were on a four-match unbeaten streak. During this stretch, Régis Le Bris' squad celebrated victories over Brentford (2-1) and Nottingham Forest (1-0), and secured draws against Crystal Palace (0-0) and Aston Villa (1-1). This run had propelled Sunderland to fifth place in the league. However, their visit to Manchester United (0-2) saw them drop to ninth. The Red and Blacks started the match energetically, but the hosts' first dangerous attack resulted in a goal. After that, the visitors' confidence was shaken, and by halftime, they were trailing by two goals. It's worth noting that Sunderland's away performances pale in comparison to their home form: they have four points on the road versus seven at home, despite playing one fewer away match.

Wilson Isidor has been the standout performer for the team at the start of the season. Although the former Monaco and Zenit striker hasn't scored in two consecutive matches, he remains Sunderland's top scorer with three league goals. Meanwhile, Granit Xhaka has been consistently providing assists, tallying three in total. His latest assist, to Omar Alderete in the clash with Nottingham Forest, secured victory for the Black Cats and marked the Paraguayan defender's first goal for his new club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Team Overview

The Wolves are on a three-match unbeaten run across all competitions. This streak kicked off in the English League Cup round of 16 against Everton (2-0). Their next two Premier League fixtures were against Tottenham and Brighton, both ending in 1-1 draws. In each match, Vítor Pereira's squad took the lead but conceded late goals. Notably, they played most of the game against Brighton without their head coach, who was sent off in the 20th minute. This suggests that Wolverhampton's gameplay has improved, but they still lack consistency.

The primary creative threat for Wolverhampton comes from their defenders: 3 out of the team's 5 goals have been scored by Ladislav Krejci, Rodrigo Gomes, and Santiago Bueno. These aren't set-piece goals but rather deliberate second-phase attacks. In their current form, this is the team's most potent weapon.

Latest news

Sunderland

🎙 Jermaine Defoe, the former Sunderland and England striker, has praised Wilson Isidor's impressive form. "No one has ever done anything like this for a newly promoted team. He's simply flying. When you get promoted, it's crucial to have someone on the pitch who can turn the game around and score. And he's continuing the tradition with the number 18. At Sunderland, that number has always been lucky, and I'm glad he's living up to it," said the forward, who wore the number 18 for the Black Cats.

❌ During the international break, Sunderland's injury list grew with Omar Alderete and Noah Sadiki joining Luke O'Nien, Habib Diarra, Alese Ajiobola, Romain Mandlou, Leo Hjelde, and Dennis Cirkin. This leaves Sunderland with three defensive absences. The fourth is Reinildo Mandava, who is serving a suspension following a red card.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

🎙 The impressive form of full-backs Ladislav Krejci and Santiago Bueno has blocked Toti Gomes' path to the starting lineup. The Portuguese defender was a regular starter for the Wolves last season and even earned the captain's armband at the beginning of this one. However, the performances of his fellow defenders have pushed him down the pecking order. Here's what Gomes had to say about his current situation: “We haven't discussed it, but the coach just felt he needed to make some changes, and as players, we have to respect that. There's not much I can say about it. All I can do is continue to work hard to get back to my previous level.”

❌ Unlike Sunderland, Wolverhampton's squad has suffered significantly less from injuries. Among the players close to the first team, only Matt Doherty is sidelined with a broken wrist. Toti Gomes is also regaining fitness after an illness.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by the head referee Robert Jones. Over his last 20 Premier League games, he has averaged 3.8 yellow cards. The upcoming venue, the Stadium of Light, is known for its relatively calm atmosphere. More than 3.5 yellow cards have only been shown in one of Sunderland's four matches across all competitions this season. Additionally, Robert Jones tends to be restrained in his decisions: in 11 of his last 12 Premier League games, he's issued fewer than 4.5 cautions. Our prediction: total yellow cards under 4.5.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Sunderland have been nearly flawless at home this season. Their only slip-up in the Premier League was a draw against Aston Villa (1-1). In the English League Cup, they were less fortunate, losing to Huddersfield on penalties. However, the fact remains that the Black Cats have managed to keep a clean sheet in just one of their three matches at the Stadium of Light. Meanwhile, Wolverhampton have scored at least once in 6 of their last 7 outings across all competitions. A bet on both teams to score (yes) seems quite plausible.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Sunderland boast a strong midfield led by Granit Xhaka. There's no doubt that Régis Le Bris's side will look to dominate at home. While it's unlikely that the visitors will be completely pinned back, the Wolves often find it easier to play on the counter, as evidenced by goals from their full-backs. They don't frequently engage in positional play with accompanying set pieces. The corner stats speak for themselves: the Wanderers have earned fewer than 4.5 corners in 6 of their 7 Premier League matches. Editor's choice: Wolverhampton total corners under 4.5.

We are particularly intrigued by the odds on the match's goal tally. We've already discussed this in our goal prediction piece. Indeed, there's a belief that both teams have the capability to find the back of the net in this fixture. However, Sunderland's form raises some concerns following their defeat to Manchester United, and there's no clear assurance that Wolverhampton have fully emerged from their slump, despite going three games unbeaten. A draw with a scoreline of 1-1 seems the most logical outcome here. Yet, we suggest focusing on the low goal totals in matches involving both sides. Sunderland have seen under two goals in five of their last six Premier League matches, while Wolverhampton have kept it under in four of their last five across all competitions. Our prediction: total goals under 2.5.