Page 221 - 368603 LP250721 AWY AWY AWY Book (238pp A5)

while we know that ex-Sunderland favourite (not) James Vaughan isn’t available. Jones is injured and both Sanderson and Winchester won’t be eligible but we’ve been boosted by the news that Leadbitter and McLaughlin will be back in the squad and I think we’ll win it within the ninety minutes. If we get an early goal, I think we’ll win quite comfortably otherwise it could well get very edgy. Like many of you, I’ve thought for ages that after seven winless trips to Wembley we were nailed on to win when none of us could be there – such is the nature of the universe. I’ll be watching the match as usual with my Sunderland bubble and my match prediction is a 2-1 win.
I got to the bubble around 2.15 but I didn’t have a beer because my first Covid-vaccine appointment was set for 6.20. As for our starting line-up, Leadbitter was in and we had plenty of flair with McGeady, Maguire and Gooch. As an unexpected bonus both Kimpioka and new boy Stewart were on the bench. Micky Gray was on the bench in the Sky studio and I have to say I didn’t recognise him. My fellow bubblers predicted a 3-0 or 4-1 win.
We did most of the early pressing but our passing was going astray too often and Tranmere weren’t allowing us much space. They were also managing to keep us well away from their box most of the time. O’Nien was looking very cool while taking a few risks in our box but I hoped he wouldn’t continue to do so. In the fifteenth minute Burge did well to gather a deflected ball from Leadbitter when it looked
213