Chris Sutton has responded directly to criticism from Sunderland fans in his latest round of Premier League predictions.

The Black Cats endured a turbulent international break with several first-team stars performing for their respective countries.

Noah Sadiki and Omar Alderete suffered injury scares, but Regis Le Bris revealed in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash against Wolves that the pair appear unscathed.

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Now, Sutton has shared his scoreline prediction for the clash at the Stadium of Light while addressing recent concerns from the supporters.

Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images

When offering his latest Premier League predictions for BBC Sport, Sutton apologised to Sunderland fans for his negative outlook on the side this season.

“Firstly, huge apologies to Sunderland fans. After all the stick I got from them for being so negative about them this season, I knew that as soon as I backed them to win a game, the wheels would come off – and that’s exactly what happened against Manchester United.

“It just shows that they are better off with me writing their team off, so they should probably welcome my prediction for this game.

“This week, they are at home to Wolves,...