Sunderland head to Wembley looking to end their League One tenure and win promotion back to the Championship. The Black Cats have not won any of their previous play-off campaigns but ended their Wembley hoodoo last season and there's hope this time round may be different.
Alex Neil has welcomed the return of Aiden McGeady, Leon Dajaku and Carl Winchester and the Wearsiders have a plethora of options ahead of this weekend's game. Nathan Broadhead's late cameo in the semi-final second leg against Sheffield Wednesday, which bodes well for his involvement against Wycombe.
Sunderland will be backed by a strong following at Wembley as they look to write their own piece of history. Here is how James Hunter and Matty Hewitt believe Sunderland might line-up against Wycombe.
READ MORE: Aiden McGeady and Leon Dajaku in the frame for Sunderland's League One play-off final outing
James Hunter
Trying to second-guess Alex Neil is a fools' errand.
Ever since he arrived, Neil has chopped and changed personnel, shapes, and systems, on a game-by-game basis depending on the players he has available and the opposition, and he has absolutely no qualms with altering a winning team.
Going into the play-off final, the three big questions are whether he will play a back four as he did in the semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday or a back three, whether Nathan Broadhead is fit to start after making his comeback as a very late substitute in the game at Hillsborough, and whether Carl Winchester is ready to return at right-back.
If Broadhead is ready to reprise his partnership with Ross Stewart, Neil may lean towards a 3-5-2; if not, a 4-2-3-1 is more likely.
Given the question mark over Broadhead's fitness, I'm going to predict a 4-2-3-1 and the same side that began last time out at Sheffield Wednesday.
Bailey Wright and Danny Batth have proved to be a solid pairing in central defence, with Lynden Gooch and Dennis Cirkin occupying the full-back roles, while Anthony Patterson has been impressive since taking over in goal. Winchester would be my preferred option at right-back, but to throw him in at the deep end when he has only just begun training following a groin injury would be an unnecessary gamble.
The experienced Corry Evans is a key man in central midfield, while ex-Wycombe man Luke O'Nien provides energy and drive.
With Ross Stewart leading the line, that leaves Patrick Roberts and Jack Clarke to provide the width, while Alex Neil offers the creative spark in the number ten role.
If that's the way Neil sees it, it would be harsh on Broadhead to miss out on the starting XI but he has proved more than once this season that he can make an impact from the bench.
Predicted XI: Patterson; Gooch, Wright, Batth, Cirkin; O'Nien, Evans; Roberts, Pritchard, Clarke; Stewart
Matty Hewitt
What a change four months makes. In the two weeks that followed Lee Johnson's sacking the Black Cats were in free-fall. Alex Neil has done a fantastic job at steadying the ship and guiding Sunderland to a second play-off final in four seasons.
His ability to change the Black Cats formation in order to execute a game plan has been a major plus for him since taking over at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland have lined up with a back three - or five without the ball - on a number of occasions this season but have also shown their versatility to play a back four.
The Wearsiders have looked solid in either formation but I would expect them to stick with a back four. Wycombe lined up in a back four in their semi-final clash with MK Dons and you would expect Sunderland to match them.
Anthony Patterson should get the nod in goal and the Black Cats youngster has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign. There may be some debate over whether Carl Winchester comes into right-back, but that would be unfair to drop Lynden Gooch who has been one of the standout performers in Sunderland's run in.
I'd expect Dennis Cirkin, Danny Batth and Bailey Wright to line-up alongside Gooch in a back four. Corry Evans and Luke O'Nien should also start in the heart of midfield. Nathan Broadhead is one change I'd make from the win at Hillsborough and that would be to replace Alex Pritchard.
Jack Clarke and Patrick Roberts have both done enough to warrant holding down their place in the starting XI. Ross Stewart is a no brainer up front. Sunderland should have plenty of options on the bench to change the game.
Predicted line-up: Patterson; Cirkin, Batth, Wright, Gooch; Evans, O'Nien, Clarke, Roberts, Stewart, Broadhead
