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Sunderland vs Crystal Palace Preview: Odds, Tips, and Prediction

Date: Saturday, January 17 Venue: Stadium of Light Kick-off: 3:00pm GMT Sunderland will look to get back to winning ways when they entertain Crystal Palace at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, January 17. A run of five games without victory is slightly concerning for the Black Cats, who enjoyed a stunning half of the campaign. That said, Regis Le Bris has done a fantastic job, with his side 10th in the table. Palace, on the other hand, who were unceremoniously dumped out of the FA Cup in the third round by Macclesfield last weekend, have not won a game in 2026, so alarm bells will be ringing. When these sides last faced off at Selhurst Park, they played out a drab, goalless stalemate. Hopefully, there will be goals this time! To drum up some excitement for this game, we’ve taken some odds from one of our favourite football betting sites to underline our picks.

Charles Perrin
Charles Perrin

Last updated: 2026-01-12

Chad Nagel

5 minutes read

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Noah Sadiki of Sunderland (R) tackles Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace

Noah Sadiki of Sunderland (R) tackles Jean-Philippe Mateta / Getty Images

Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Sunderland Shading It

Premier League betting sites are well endowed with odds, and we’ve checked out the matchwinner prices available ahead of kick-off:

  1. Home: 13/8 (2.63) – 38.1%

  2. Draw: 21/10 (3.10) – 32.3%

  3. Away: 17/10 (2.70) – 37%
    *Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change.

Head-to-Head Record

Premier League head-to-head records serve a purpose, so let’s look at the recent tale of the tape between Sunderland and Crystal Palace.

Last Five Meetings (Premier League)

  1. 1

    13/09/25: Crystal Palace 0-0 Sunderland

  2. 2

    04/02/17: Crystal Palace 0-4 Sunderland

  3. 3

    24/09/16: Sunderland 2-3 Crystal Palace

  4. 4

    01/03/16: Sunderland 2-2 Crystal Palace

  5. 5

    23/11/15: Crystal Palace 0-1 Sunderland

Sunderland Current Form – DDDDL

After an exceptional first half of the campaign, Sunderland have lost their way slightly over the past few weeks. They showed resolve and determination to pick up a point away to Tottenham thanks to a late Brian Brobbey strike at the start of 2026, but their last win was a 1-0 victory at home to bitter rivals Newcastle.

It must be said, however, that the Stadium of Light has been a fortress for the Black Cats as they remain unbeaten on home soil in England’s top-flight division this season.

Le Bris has made Sunderland tough to break down, and a victory against Palace could bolster their chances of securing European football next season.

Key Players to Watch:

  • Brian Brobbey
    Strong and a focal point in attack, the goals may not have flowed as regularly as he might have hoped, but he’s scored some important goals, including the one against Tottenham, so he could have a key part to play.
  • Granit Xhaka
    Fiercely competitive on the pitch, Granit Xhaka leads by example as the captain. He doesn’t hold back with his tackles, but he can also let fly from distance, and his passing range is superb, so he could cause Palace problems.
  • Dan Ballard
    Although he only recently returned to action following injury, Dan Ballard is the glue that holds the Sunderland defence together. He’s great at reading the game, and he will look to snuff out Jean Philippe-Mateta and Yeremy Pino.

Sunderland Team News

Sunderland have no fresh injury concerns. Aji Alese (shoulder) remains the only player injured, and it is unclear when he will return to the fold.

Crystal Palace Current Form – LLDLD

Reaching the heights of last season was always going to be a tough ask, but Palace have seen the wheels come off recently.

No wins in the league in 2026 is cause for concern, but they are 13th, and if they aren’t careful, they could be pulled further down the league.

Their shock FA Cup exit at the hands of non-league side Macclesfield last weekend underlined their ongoing issues, but Oliver Glasner usually cuts a calm figure. A victory away to Sunderland would certainly boost confidence in the camp.

Key Players to Watch

  • Yeremy Pino
    The Spanish forward is growing with every game, and he dispatched his free-kick well against Macclesfield, his fifth goal for club and country this season. He can be a slippery customer, so Sunderland need a game plan to thwart him.
  • Adam Wharton
    Despite his lack of goals this season, Adam Wharton is always looking to get on the front foot and take shots early, so Sunderland need to pay close attention to him.
  • Brennan Johnson
    It seemed strange when Tottenham let Brennan Johnson leave at the start of the month, as he is hungry and offers a lot in front of goal. He has shown glimpses of what he can produce for Palace, and Sunderland need to stifle him.

Crystal Palace Team News

Mateta remains a doubt due to an ongoing knee issue. The Frenchman, who has recorded 10 goals and two assists across all competitions this term, will be monitored in the coming days.

Predicted Line-Ups

  1. Sunderland (4-2-3-1)

    Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Hume, Xhaka, Geertruida, Rigg, Le Fee, Adingra; Brobbey

  2. Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)

    Henderson; Canvot, Lacroix, Guehi, Devenny, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell, Johnson, Pino; Uche

Suggested Bets

Premier League sportsbooks are well stocked with lines before any given game, and for this match, we’ve offered some football betting tips to check out.

  1. Under 2.5 Goals: Apart from the goalless draw earlier this season, both sides have been fairly blunt in attack recently, so Under 2.5 goals is worth pursuing. (31/50 with Bzeebet)

  2. Sunderland to Earn More Corners: Although Palace shaded the corner count last time round, Sunderland could apply plenty of pressure from set-pieces and win more corners across the 90 minutes. (21/20 with QuinnBet) 

  3. Highest Scoring Half – Second Half: Both sides have experienced late drama recently, conceding late on, so the second half could well be the highest scoring half. (6/5 with Midnite)

Value Bets

  1. Sunderland to Win to Nil: The Stadium of Light has been a tough place to visit this season, and if the Black Cats come out on top against Palace, they could do so without shipping a goal. (17/5 with William Hill)

  2. Anytime Goalscorer – Brian Brobbey: While he hasn’t been prolific this season, Brobbey’s form has picked up lately, and he could hit the target. (23/10 with Unibet)

  3. Draw: With both sides going through a downturn in form, this could be a cagey match, and one that ends with the honours shared. (21/10 with Spreadex)

Prediction: Draw and Under 2.5 Goals

On the face of it, this game appears to be a mere mid-table clash. Palace’s form has been disconcerting, and Glasner could come under pressure if he doesn’t turn things around quickly.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have had a drop-off, and perhaps that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Le Bris has done a great job, but Palace will make things difficult for the Black Cats. A draw, therefore, appears to be the most likely result.

Charles Perrin
Charles PerrinSports Betting Writer

Charles Perrin has spent over six years writing about sports betting, working with some of the UK’s top sportsbooks, including bet365 and William Hill.

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