Free betting tips: Checkatrade Trophy final - Portsmouth v Sunderland

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Portsmouth v Sunderland (Checkatrade Trophy final, Wembley Stadium, 1430 GMT, Sky Sports Football)

While the Checkatrade Trophy may not be everyone's favourite tournament, this is set to be a fantastic occasion with a record-breaking crowd of over 80,000 fans expected on Sunday.

It's a game between two clubs who have been through a lot over the past couple of seasons. Sunderland's well documented decline to League One has been broadcast on Netflix while Portsmouth went from FA Cup winners to England's fourth tier in the space of ten years.

It's also two teams who are on the verge of promotion back to the Sky Bet Championship. While the main focus for both will be on securing promotion, a trophy at Wembley will signal that they really are a club on the way back up.

One of the many other reasons that will make this a great final is the fact that it really is a game that can go either way. Portsmouth and Sunderland are next to each other in the standings, with just one point separating the pair.

This has all the makings of a game that will require extra-time and potentially penalties. Both have been in good form with wins in recent weeks, but there have been a large number of draws throughout their campaigns.

It's remarkable that Sunderland sit fourth in the Sky Bet League One table when they have lost just two of their 37 games this season. The 16 draws they have seen have been holding them back and could potentially cost them a spot in the top-two.

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Best bet:

Click here to view our guide to the Checkatrade Trophy final

Opta facts

  • Portsmouth are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Sunderland in all competitions (W5 D2), including a 3-1 victory in a league meeting at Fratton Park this season.
  • Sunderland have only lost one of their four meetings with Portsmouth in cup competition (W2 D1), though it was their last such meeting in an FA Cup tie in January 2010.
  • Both Portsmouth and Sunderland are playing in their first ever EFL Trophy final. This will also be the first ever final in the competition between two teams to have previously played in the Premier League.
  • Either Portsmouth or Sunderland will become only the second side to have won both the English top-flight and the EFL Trophy, with Wolverhampton Wanderers the only side to have done so so far.
  • Portsmouth have only lost one of their five games at the new Wembley Stadium (W3 D1), losing the FA Cup final 0-1 to Chelsea in 2010. They’ve kept a clean sheet in each of their other four games at the ground since it re-opened.
  • Sunderland haven’t won a competitive game at Wembley Stadium since the 1973 FA Cup final against Leeds (D1 L4 since), losing their only previous appearance at the ‘new’ Wembley (1-3 vs Man City in the 2014 League Cup final).
  • Portsmouth have won all seven of their EFL Trophy matches this season, with no side netting more goals in the competition than Pompey (16).
  • Sunderland have conceded just one goal in their seven EFL Trophy matches this season, fewer than any other side.
  • Gareth Evans is Portsmouth’s top scorer in the EFL Trophy this season, scoring three goals from just four shots on target.
  • Sunderland have had the most different goalscorers in the EFL Trophy this season (11), with Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka the only player to score more than once for the Black Cats in the competition (2).

Odds correct at 1350 GMT (28/03/19)

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