Cardiff City, fresh from a loss to third placed Burnley, will make the trip up to the Stadium of Light on Saturday (15:00 GMT) to take on fourth placed Sunderland.
The Bluebirds are five points clear of the relegation zone but only hover one place above Luton Town in 22nd.
While Sunderland are on the chase for automatic promotion after a win against Sheffield Wednesday put a stop to a two-game losing run, but have now drifted eight points shy of a place in the top two.
Sunderland have won each of their last two league games against Cardiff City and could win three in succession for the first time since October 1922.