IT was disappointing news this week to hear that Danny Ings is going to be out for a little while.

Danny is a quality player but these things happen in football, and Sean Dyche has a good squad with options to come in.

It may be that Marvin Sordell comes in as the most like for like replacement with the pace he offers, and he will want to show he can do what Danny can do, and what Danny did last season. Sean Dyche knows him very well from his time at Watford and he will know what he can bring to the team, and whether he can step into Danny’s shoes.

I’m sure Lukas Jutkiewicz will be keeping his place in the team, he is a good player.

He’s a good target man and he plays a similar role to that which Sam Vokes occupied last season.

He’s got a fantastic touch and he’s been excellent at holding the ball up and bringing others into the game.

Hopefully the strikers can get a goal or two today, all it takes is for some to go in off your knee or your backside and the confidence will be flowing.

It’s certainly flowing at the opposite end with two clean sheets in a row. The strikers will be hoping to follow suit now and start finding the back of the net.

Sean was a centre half and he is instilled his defensive vision into the players. They have a really solid base now, and hopefully that will continue.

They will be under pressure in a lot of games this season but they don’t look like they will cave in, Sean won’t let that happen. I can’t see them conceding five or six in a game really.

I think the defence is something Sean has worked on from day one. He probably does a lot of work with them on the training pitch and they have really benefited from that, they seem to get really good advice from him.

I feel quietly confident about today’s game. Sunderland will be backed by an excellent away following as usual, and they are a good side who have improved under Gus Poyet, but these are the type of home games we should be looking to win.