Sunderland 0 Coventry 3: Highlights as Michael Beale loses first game plus Niall Huggins injury blow

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Sunderland's Championship match against Coventry at the Stadium of Light.

New head coach Michael Beale is set to take charge of his first game on Wearside, with the side sitting seventh in the table ahead of today's match.

We'll have all the build-up ahead of the match, as well as in-game analysis and post-match reaction.

Stick around an refresh the page for live updates throughout the day.

We'll start with the Sunderland team news.

Aji Alese, Timothee Pembele and Jay Matete all played 45 minutes for Sunderland's under-21s side against Arsenal on Monday following long-term injury setbacks.

Dennis Cirkin is edging closer to his return following a hamstring issue, while Corry Evans is still recovering from his ACL injury.

Jewison Bennette was unavailable for the under-21s side on Monday and hasn't been named in the senior squad since October.

Here's what Beale had to say about today's match and Coventry boss Mark Robins:

"I'm really looking forward to the game at the weekend, I think it's a difficult game. They are a very good team and they got to the play-off final last season. They have the same ambition as us and it’s a fantastic way to end my first week here.

"I lived quite close to Coventry when I worked at Aston Villa and QPR, so I went to a couple of their games. I know through people behind the scenes they are 100% behind Mark and his staff because they know the incredible work he does.

"It was a similar start last season; they didn't start so well, and they had issues with the pitch but then they went on a fantastic run. They lost two incredible players, one to the Premier League and one to a huge club like Sporting Lisbon.

"I have no doubts that Coventry with Mark Robins’ experience, alongside his assistant Adil Viveash are going to be up the top end of the table come the end of the season."

After reaching the play-off final last season, Coventry sit 16th, yet Mark Robins' side have drawn with Leeds and Southampton in their last two matches.

Former Sunderland striker Ellis Simms has started the side's last three matches but has scored just twice in 22 appearances since his summer move to the Sky Blues.

Here's what Coventry boss Mark Robins had to say about today's match and Beale's appointment at Sunderland:

"I think that we can sort of have an understanding of how his teams play and how he wants them to play. He's got a different group of players and he's going to be working with them this week, and it’s how much work he can get into them and to change what he wants to change or to enhance what he wants to do and that will be determined by how much work he's done and how much he feels that he needs to change it.

“So, Michael has come in, really to a team that's been playing pretty good football with a lot of talented footballers in their ranks, and they do things in a in a certain way and I'm sure that he will change some bits and pieces, but you won't know until you see that tomorrow. They're a really good team. They're an attacking team. They've got some really good attacking players and they’ve got some good quality and I think it will be a really good game.”

Here are our predicted line-ups for today's match:

Predicted Sunderland XI: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, O'Nien, Huggins, Ekwah, Neil, Clarke, Aouchiche, Roberts, Bellingham

Predicted Coventry XI: Collins, Van Ewijk, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell, Latibeaudiere, Sakamoto, Eccles, Sheaf, Dasilva, Simms

"Watching from afar over the past week or so, it’s clear to see how much good work has gone in at the Club, both on and off the pitch.

Mike Dodds, Michael Proctor, Alessandro Barcherini and the rest of the staff did a great job in preparing the team for back-to-back wins against West Brom and Leeds United. They are two of the better sides in this division and it’s testament to the hard work everyone put into those performances.

"The club is in a great place at the moment and I’m hugely optimistic about the future. We have a squad that is full of potential and who are striving every day to fulfil that promise.

"Looking at today’s game, we know it’s going to be a tough test against a strong Coventry City team - I have huge respect for Mark Robins and his assistant Adi Viveash, who I worked with at Chelsea. They had a terrific season last year and will have similar ambitions this season also.

"After a hugely exciting and enjoyable first week, it would be great to cap it off with three points today to continue the excellent home form so far this season – we will need to be at our best and I have no doubt you will get behind the team and make it an incredible atmosphere."