The aim of these sides is to shake the other one off. Both are locked on 10 points, having won two, drawn four and lost five of their first 11 matches of the season and neither can escape the prospect of a winter spent in the relegation zone should they lose again on Saturday. Sunderland can take heart from how they performed in their last game – the 1-0 loss at Manchester United – but will fret given the absence of top scorer Sebastian Larsson. Fulham, meanwhile, are aiming to win a second successive away league fixture. Sachin Nakrani
Venue Stadium of Light, Saturday 3pm
Tickets £25-50 (0871 911 1973)
Last season Sunderland 0 Fulham 3
Referee Anthony Taylor
This season's matches 3 Y10, R0, 3.33 cards per game
Odds Sunderland 11-8 Fulham 2-1 Draw 9-4
Sunderland
Subs from Carson, Bardsley, Laing, Meyler, Vaughan, McClean, Egan, Cook, Tounkara, R Noble, Ji, Lynch, Liddle
Doubtful None
Injured Bramble (knee, 4 Dec), Gordon (knee, 11 Dec), Mignolet (broken nose, Jan), Wickham (knee, Jan), Campbell (knee, Apr)
Suspended Larsson (one match)
Form guide LDWLDL
Disciplinary record Y22 R1
Leading scorer Larsson 3
Fulham
Subs from Etheridge, Somogyi, Kasami, Gecov, Sidwell, Johnson, Ruiz, Frei, Burn, Kacaniklic, Marsh-Brown, Tankovic
Doubtful Johnson (ankle), Sidwell (hernia)
Injured Davies (knee, 26 Nov), Hughes (thigh, 5 Dec), Kelly (groin, 5 Dec), Senderos (thigh, 5 Dec), Sa (hamstring, 10 Dec), Grygera (knee, May)
Suspended None
Form guide LWLLWD
Disciplinary record Y26 R0
Leading scorers Dempsey, Johnson, Zamora 3
Match pointers
• If selected, Mark Schwarzer will be making his 450th Premier League appearance, becoming only the second keeper – after David James – to reach the landmark
• Sunderland have failed to score in five of their last six league meetings with Fulham, including the last four in a row
• Clint Dempsey has won more free-kicks (28) than any other player in the division
• Sunderland have not had the same result in succession since they suffered back to back defeats in April
• Fulham have used fewer players (20) than any other side in the top flight
