Port Vale vs Sunderland – Match preview and team news

Vale Park will stage one of the FA Cup’s most intriguing fifth-round ties this afternoon as League One basement side Port Vale welcome resurgent Sunderland, the only remaining club yet to score from open play in this season’s competition. For the Valiants, the occasion marks a first appearance in the last 16 since 1996 and their deepest run in 29 campaigns; for the Black Cats, it represents a chance to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2013-14.

Jon Brady’s hosts arrive buoyed by a four-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, including Tuesday’s disciplined 1-0 upset of Championship outfit Bristol City. Despite scoring a division-low 26 league goals, Vale have tightened at the back, collecting two clean sheets in their last three outings. Brady expects to field an unchanged side, with Hall, Walters and Shipley available to maintain what he calls the “special connection” forged during their recent revival.

Sunderland, fresh from a morale-boosting 1-0 Premier League derby triumph over Leeds United on Tuesday, must cope with a selection crisis. Ten senior players are unavailable: Trai Hume and Noah Sadiki are suspended, while Bertrand Traoré, Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Brian Brobbey, Dennis Cirkin, Reinildo, Romain Mundle and Jocelin Ta Bi are injured. Head coach Régis Le Bris, who has guided his side past Everton and Oxford United this winter, both goals coming from set-pieces, insists he will still select the “best XI possible”.

History favours the Wearsiders: they have won the last six meetings between the clubs, including a 2-1 League Cup victory at Vale Park in August 2021. Yet Vale Park has traditionally been an uncomfortable venue for Sunderland, and the hosts are seeking their first top-flight scalp in 30 years.

Port Vale’s probable line-up (4-2-3-1): Gauci; Hall, Gabriel, Archer, Walters; Gordon, Waine; Sherif, Humphreys, Shipley; Magloire.

Sunderland’s probable line-up (4-2-3-1): Ellborg; Geertruida, Ballard, Alderete, O’Nien; Xhaka, Le Fee; Rigg, Angulo, Talbi; Isidor.

Kick-off is at 13:30 GMT, with live coverage on TNT Sports 1 from 13:00.