Sunderland vs Dinamo Zagreb: UEFA Europa League, league phase preview

UEFA Europa League · League phase

Sunderland

L18 Oct · Bournemouth 2-0 SunderlandD22 Oct · Lech Poznan 1-1 SunderlandD25 Oct · Sunderland 0-0 LeedsW28 Oct · Sunderland 3-2 BrentfordL31 Oct · Coventry 3-1 Sunderland

VS

Dinamo Zagreb

W15 Oct · Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 AnderlechtW18 Oct · NK Slaven Belupo 1-5 Dinamo ZagrebL22 Oct · Dinamo Zagreb 2-4 NEC NijmegenW27 Oct · Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 HNK RijekaL31 Oct · Rudes 1-0 Dinamo Zagreb

Thursday 5 November 2026 · 21:00

Read our prediction →Read the post-match analysisTrack Record

Sunderland host Dinamo Zagreb in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening, with both sides arriving off the back of weekend defeats and carrying notable absentee lists into the game.

Form guide

Sunderland's last five results have brought one win, two draws and two defeats, with five goals scored and eight conceded. Their only victory in that run came at home to Brentford in the League Cup, winning 3-2 on 28 October. Three days before that, Sunderland drew 0-0 at home to Leeds in the Premier League, and their most recent outing ended in a 1-3 defeat away at Coventry on 31 October. In the two home games among their last five, Sunderland have one win and one draw without a defeat, scoring three and conceding two, while in the three away games among the last five they are without a win, drawing once and losing twice, scoring two and conceding six. In their three league games among the last five, Sunderland have kept one clean sheet and failed to score in two of them. Sunderland sit twentieth in the Premier League this season, with five points from nine games, six defeats, seventeen goals conceded and a goal difference of minus ten.

Dinamo Zagreb's last five results show three wins and two defeats, with ten goals scored and seven conceded. Their most recent game ended in a 0-1 defeat away at Rudes in the HNL on 31 October. Four days before that they beat HNK Rijeka 2-1 at home, and in the two away games among their last five, Dinamo have one win and one loss, scoring five and conceding two. In the HNL this season, they are second with twenty-two points from eleven games — seven wins, one draw and three defeats. At home in the HNL, they have won all six games, scoring fifteen and conceding four.

Head to head

Sunderland and Dinamo Zagreb have not met in a competitive match in recent seasons, so there is no head-to-head record to go on.

Team news

Ballard misses out with a muscle injury, as does Diarra. Mundle is ruled out with a knee injury. Angulo, Browne, Ellborg, Ta Bi, and Talbi all miss out. Mukiele is doubtful with a concussion.

McKenna misses out, as do Mudražija, Nevistić, Nsoki, Tabinas, and Topić. Radeljić is doubtful.

What to watch

Sunderland have not won any of their five away league games this season, losing four of them. At home in the Premier League they average just 0.25 goals scored per game from four games, though their home form across all competitions in the last five has been more solid than their away showings.

Dinamo Zagreb bring a sharper attacking profile, averaging 2.53 xG per game across their last five matches against an average xG against of 1.23. In the HNL, they score 2.27 goals per game across the season. Their away HNL record is more mixed — one win, one draw and three defeats from five games, conceding at 2.00 per game across the season. The bookmakers make Sunderland a 64% chance to win, with Dinamo given a 15% chance of taking all three points. Over 2.5 goals is priced at a 58% chance. Both sides have five days' rest coming into this game.

Both clubs arrive in uncertain form, which makes this league phase meeting genuinely difficult to call.