Sunderland team news: Dunk and Gomez out through suspension

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The Black Cats visit the Amex on Saturday.

Charlie Hanson

2025-12-19T10:40+00:00

Lewis Dunk will miss Saturday's game after picking up five yellow cards this season. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion take on Sunderland this Saturday looking to finish a successful year at the Amex on a high.

In 2025, Fabian Hurzeler's team have played 18 Premier League matches at home, winning nine, drawing six and only losing three.

Team news

Diego Gomez has made 37 appearances for Albion. 📷 by James Boardman.

Speaking in his press conference on Friday, Fabian Hurzeler confirmed that aside from Lewis Dunk and Diego Gomez being suspended, and Carlos Baleba now away with Cameroon for AFCON, he has no fresh concerns ahead of Saturday's game.

"We have no fresh injury worries.

"Lewis is a big, big miss definitely. But we have a strong squad, we have other players who are able to replace him. Of course Lewis is a big miss, but we also have a big confidence in our players who will replace him.

"Danny's training is still restricted. But Danny sometimes does incredible things. Let's see if he's an option to start. But the issue has not healed yet and it's still restricting him during the training week.

"Kaoru is a starting option, but let's see. It's about getting an understanding with the medical (department) what is best for an individual player."

Their last line-up

HA'WAY THE LADS!! 👊#SUNNEW pic.twitter.com/UsNcibCxMu
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 14, 2025

Sunderland secured what will no doubt have felt like their win of the season so far as they beat local rivals Newcastle United. Nick Woltemade's own goal proved pivotal in the 1-0 victory.

Match facts

This is the first ever Premier League meeting between Brighton and Sunderland, and first league meeting overall since a 2-1 home win for the Seagulls in February 2005 in the Championship.

Sunderland have won just one of their six top-flight meetings with Brighton (D1 L4, all between 1980 and 1983), beating them 3-0 at Roker Park in May 1982.

This is the first meeting between Brighton and Sunderland in any competition since August 2011, with the Seagulls winning a League Cup tie 1-0 in what was their fourth competitive game at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton are winless in their last nine Premier League games in December (D5 L4) since beating Spurs 4-2 in 2023. In fact, only in April (19.4%) do they have a lower win rate in the Premier League than they do in December (20.8%).

Sunderland’s 26 Premier League points this season is the best return by a promoted side after 16 games since Hull City in 2008-09 (also 26). Meanwhile this is the latest into a season that a promoted side has the same or more points than the reigning champions since 2016-17, when after 28 games promoted Burnley had 31 points compared to champions Leicester on 30.

Sunderland’s 1-0 win over Newcastle last time out was already their fifth clean sheet in the Premier League this season, just one fewer than they managed in the whole of their last season in the top-flight (6 in 2016-17).

Sunderland have scored fewer first half goals both overall (5) and as a percentage of their total goals (26%) than any other side in the Premier League this season.

Sunderland (12) and Brighton (11) are two of the top three clubs for most points gained from a losing position in the Premier League this season, with only Aston Villa (15) above them both.

Brighton’s Danny Welbeck – who scored six goals in 26 Premier League games for Sunderland in 2010-11 – has no goals or assists in nine Premier League games against the Black Cats. He’s only faced Manchester City (22) and Burnley (11) more without registering a single goal involvement.

Sunderland’s Robin Roefs has prevented 3.5 goals based on Opta’s expected goals on target conceded model, the most of any keeper in the Premier League this season (19.5 xGoT faced, 16 goals conceded).

Match officials