Sunderland are set to play Rangers at the Estádio Municipal de Albufeira on Saturday for a friendly game.
Sunderland come into this game on the back of a 2-0 win over Gareth Ainsworth's Wycombe Wanderers in the final of the League One promotion play-offs. Goals from young midfielder Elliot Embleton and Scottish striker Ross Stewart secured the win for Alex Neil's Sunderland.
Rangers, on the other hand, beat Robbie Neilson's Hearts 2-0 in the Scottish Cup final. Late goals from Scottish midfielder Ryan Jack and winger Scott Wright sealed the deal for Giovanni van Bronckhorst's Rangers.
Sunderland vs Rangers Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Sunderland have not played Rangers in an official match recently.
- Scottish striker Ross Stewart was key for Sunderland last season; the 25-year old scored 26 goals for them last season.
- Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alex Pritchard registered nine assists in the league last season for Sunderland.
- For Rangers, Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos scored 11 goals in the Scottish Premiership.
- Right-back James Tavernier registered an impressive 13 league assists for Rangers last season.
Sunderland vs Rangers Prediction
Sunderland did well to get promoted from League One, and will be gunning for a return to the top-flight soon. Having spent more time than expected in the third-tier of the English football pyramid, Sunderland have, in recent years, attracted the interest of a global audience following the success of their docu-series.
This, and their rich history, means that there will be scrutiny on their performances in the Championship. The likes of Ross Stewart and Lynden Gooch will be keen to test their mettle in the second-tier of English football.
Rangers, on the other hand, finished second in the Scottish Premiership last season. With Nigeria international Joe Aribo closing in on a move to Southampton, and with Finnish midfielder Glen Kamara linked with a move to Brighton & Hove Albion, Rangers have a long transfer window ahead of them.
The aim will be to beat Celtic to the Scottish Premiership. Rangers reached the final of the UEFA Europa League last season, and it will be interesting to see how they approach the next season and how they prioritize their competitions.
We expect Rangers to emerge triumphant over Sunderland.
Prediction: Sunderland 0-1 Rangers
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Sunderland vs Rangers Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result- Rangers
Tip 2: Game to have under/over 2.5 goals - Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3: Rangers to keep a clean sheet - Yes