Sunderland v Dinamo Zagreb preview: kick-off time, team news and form

Sunderland host Dinamo Zagreb at the Stadium of Light on Thursday 5th November, kick-off 8.00pm, as the Europa League league phase reaches matchday four. It's another European night on Wearside, with Croatian league and cup winners Dinamo Zagreb the visitors this time, as the Sunderland Echo notes (Sunderland Echo) (Sunderland Echo).

There's plenty riding on it. Sunderland sit third in the Europa League standings having picked up seven points from three games, and the Sunderland Echo looks at just how close that run has them to qualification should results go their way against Zagreb and Jagiellonia (Sunderland Echo). Zagreb, by contrast, have endured a bumpier road in the competition and come into this one lower down the table.

In the Premier League, Sunderland are currently 20th, and the Sunderland Echo's James Copley has been weighing up whether Régis Le Bris needs a tactical rethink given the side's recent struggles domestically, with this game and the visit of Chelsea both on the horizon (Sunderland Echo). In Europe, though, the form has been much healthier: Sunderland's last three Europa League outings read WWD, beating AZ Alkmaar and Torreense before drawing away at Lech Poznan. Zagreb's equivalent run is DWL, a draw at Hapoel Be'er Sheva, a win over Anderlecht, then a loss at home to NEC.

Looking across all competitions, Sunderland's last five games have gone LDDWL, a mixed bag that's included cup joy against Brentford sandwiched between Premier League setbacks against Bournemouth and Coventry City. Zagreb's run in all competitions has been DLDWL, including qualifying defeats earlier in the season before their Europa League form picked up and then dipped again.

The Sunderland Echo has been keeping an eye on the visitors' threats, highlighting a red-hot striker who could cause problems and a team-mate of Lamine Yamal in the Zagreb ranks (Sunderland Echo) (Sunderland Echo). Croatian media reaction to the upcoming tie has also been covered by the Echo (Sunderland Echo), while Opta's predicted finish for Sunderland in the league phase gives fans an idea of where this campaign could end up (Sunderland Echo).

On the team news front, Sunderland have been hit by a fresh injury blow, with Habib Diarra facing a spell out and Chemsdine Talbi added to the Europa League squad as a result, as reported by the Sunderland Echo (Sunderland Echo) (Sunderland Echo). Training on Wearside reportedly revealed five absentees as Le Bris weighed up his options (Sunderland Echo), and the manager himself has given his own team news update via the club's official site (SAFC.com). A Serie A official has been confirmed to take charge of proceedings (Sunderland Echo).

You can follow all the action from the Stadium of Light from 8.00pm on Thursday 5th November.

Written with the help of AI, using the match facts and the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.