Sunderland welcomes Norwich City to the Stadium of Light in what promises to be an intriguing Championship clash.
Fresh off a stunning 3-2 comeback against Swansea, Sunderland is brimming with confidence and eager to keep the pressure on at the top of the table. The Canaries, meanwhile, are desperate to steady their flight after a mixed run of form.
The Black Cats have momentum, but Norwich’s unpredictable nature could make this a cagey affair. Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris faces some tricky selection calls as he eyes consistency in their promotion push. Will the roar of the home crowd be enough to tip the scales?
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times and the latest lineup news.
Sunderland vs. Norwich live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this EFL Championship match in the U.S.:
This game is not available for live TV broadcast in the United States. Streaming of this game is available on Paramount+, which is currently offering a FREE trial to new members.
What time does Sunderland vs. Norwich kick off?
This EFL Championship clash takes place at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, England and kicks off on Saturday, December 21 at 3:00 p.m. local time.
Here’s how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sat, Dec. 21 | 10:00 a.m. |
| Central Time | Sat, Dec. 21 | 9:00 a.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sat, Dec. 21 | 8:00 a.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sat, Dec. 21 | 7:00 a.m. |
Sunderland vs. Norwich lineups, team news
Sunderland heads into their clash with Norwich carrying a hefty injury list. Ahmed Abdullahi, Ian Poveda, and Jenson Seelt are all racing against time to recover by late December, while Alan Browne’s broken leg rules him out until April.
The Black Cats will also miss Niall Huggins and Romaine Mundle, both sidelined until mid-January.
Sunderland predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Patterson (GK) — Hume, Mepham, Ballard, Cirkin — Neil, Jobe — Roberts, Rigg, Mayenda — Isidor.
Injured: Abdullahi (leg), Browne (leg), Poveda (muscle), Seelt (doubtful), Huggins, Mundle (hamstring), Samed (leg), Watson (knee)
Suspended: None
For Norwich, key striker Joshua Sargent remains out with a groin issue, leaving the Canaries light up front. Now, the latest developments around keeper Angus Gunn suggests he’d just get fined for misconduct in the QPR game but it remains to be seen if he would be in between sticks or not.
Liam Gibbs and Gabriel Forsyth are also nursing injuries, with both hopeful for late December returns. Dean Smith will need to reshuffle his lineup to cover these gaps.
Norwich predicted XI (4-3-3 right to left): Long (GK) — Fisher, Duffy, Cordoba, Doyle — Slimane, Nunez, Marcondes — Schwartau, Crnac, Sainz.
Injured: Sargent (groin), Forsyth (knee), Gibbs (hamstring)
Suspended: Gunn (doubt)
Sunderland vs. Norwich prediction
With the head-to-head record nearly even—Sunderland with five wins, Norwich with six—this one could swing either way.
But with Sunderland the bookmakers’ favorite, they must capitalize and reinforce on their top-flight aspirations with a win on the home turf.
- Prediction: Sunderland 2-1 Norwich
EFL Championship fixture schedule this week
All times ET
Friday, December 20
- Luton vs. Derby (3:00 p.m.)
Saturday, December 21
- Hull City vs. Swansea (7:30 a.m.)
- Portsmouth vs. Coventry (7:30 a.m.)
- Sheffield Wednesday vs. Stoke (7:30 a.m.)
- Burnley vs. Watford (10:00 a.m.)
- Cardiff vs. Sheffield (10:00 a.m.)
- Leeds vs. Oxford (10:00 a.m.)
- Millwall vs. Blackburn Rovers (10:00 a.m.)
- Plymouth Argyle vs. Middlesborough (10:00 a.m.)
- QPR vs. Preston North End (10:00 a.m.)
- Sunderland vs. Norwich (10:00 a.m.)
Sunday, December 22
- West Brom vs. Bristol City (10:00 a.m.)
