Everything to play for as Sunderland travel to Preston North End in play-off chase

The Black Cats go into the final game of the season against PNE looking to get into the top six – they are one of just five teams who have taken it down to the last day.

Tony Mowbray’s side did spend last week in the top six, but were knocked out by Coventry City, who jumped into fifth place, and Millwall in sixth.

Today’s visitors are two points behind Millwall, so only a win will do at Deepdale for them.

If they were to make the play-offs, and seal promotion, it would be back-to-back play-off wins for the North East club, and the first time in 12 years that a side has won back-to-back promotions from the third and then second tier.

It would also be a return to the Premier League for the first time in six seasons, should they make it all the way.

It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Sunderland this season, as it hasn’t in many of their previous campaigns.

They consistently have disquiet when it comes to their ownership and at the start of the season they lost their cult hero boss, who had finally got them out of League One, former PNE manager Alex Neil.

The Scot was tempted away by Stoke City after a strong start to the season with the Black Cats, with Mowbray taking over in his native North East.

Mowbray was behind an unlikely play-off push with Blackburn Rovers before leaving Ewood Park, and he seems to be working his magic again at the Stadium of Light.

Things are beginning to go well for his club, stability seems to have been found at boardroom level and the fans are fully back on board – there were more than 45,000 in attendance for their final home game of the season, a 2-2 draw with Watford as Patrick Roberts’ special strike sealed a point late on.

There will be a sell-out away end on Monday too at Deepdale, as the ferocious Mackems will look to try and drive their side over the line.

Sunderland are amongst the chasing pack for a play-off place despite lacking fire power for the majority of the season.

Talisman Ross Stewart has spent much of the campaign on the sidelines, despite a fast start seeing him into double figures for goals.

And the onus has been on young Manchester United loanee Amad Diallo to deliver, which he generally has.

Jack Clarke and Roberts provide additional trickery in the wide areas, with Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt struggling to find form since his January switch.

Mowbray has his side playing an attacking, possession-based brand of football and it has served them well, with some memorable passing moves ending in goals throughout this term.

Preston will look to finish their season strongly after the disappointment of missing out on the play-offs last week, and Sunderland are still fighting to get in there, so it is unlikely we will see a repeat of the 0-0 bore draw that took place in the reverse fixture back in October.