MATCH one resulted in Sunderland’s first defeat in three months after they were reduced to ten men shortly after half-time. Match two, at Wembley, saw Sunderland suffer the heartbreak of a defeat on penalties. Match three, this afternoon, could potentially determine who secures automatic promotion. Match four, if there is to be one, could decide who goes up via the play-offs.

Forget Netflix documentaries, Sunderland and Portsmouth have been involved in a League One soap opera that has run and run. Instalment three takes place today, and while it has been billed as a winner-takes-all skirmish in the battle for the Championship, the reality is that both teams will finish as losers if Barnsley win their final two matches. Hence, the potential for a fourth head-to-head, and a possible return to Wembley.

“It’s going to be a huge game both in terms of how the league finishes, but also psychologically because we could well meet each other at Wembley again,” said Sunderland midfielder Max Power, when asked to assess the importance of today’s meeting at the Stadium of Light.

“I don’t want to talk about that just yet, but we’ve got to be realistic. It’s in Barnsley’s hands now and they’ve had a really good season.

“This was always going to be a big game, but it’s got even bigger, certainly for us, but also for Portsmouth, who need to win too. They’ll feel as if they win their games, they’ll go up. We’ll see what happens. I’m sure there’s still twists and turns.”

Back in December, Glenn Loovens’ dismissal effectively settled things as Sunderland crashed to a 3-1 defeat at Fratton Park.

For the first 45 minutes of the Checkatrade final, the Black Cats were in complete control, with Aiden McGeady’s opener seemingly having set them on the way to lifting the trophy. Things were turned on their head in the second half though, and while McGeady’s stoppage-time equaliser sent the Sunderland fans wild, the delirium turned to despair when Lee Cattermole failed to convert from the spot.

There is certainly a sense that Sunderland owe Portsmouth one, and Power is desperate to extract revenge this afternoon. With games at Fleetwood Town and Southend United still to come, the Black Cats do not want to find themselves in a position where they are unable to take advantage of any slip-up from Barnsley.

“The Wembley game was what it was,” said Power. “We’ve lost on a penalty shoot-out. Everyone knew it was a game of two halves – first half at Wembley we were very good, second half they were very good and then extra-time, it becomes not false, but it’s two teams going at it with tired bodies and minds, and you end up going to a penalty shoot-out which could go either way.

“In terms of the first league game, I think the first half down there we were well in control, but second half we suffered a sending off and ended up going on to lose. There’s a bit of history there, so this was always going to be a good game. It certainly takes care of itself now.”

Having shaken up his side for Sunderland’s last home game against Doncaster, Ross has plenty of options as he ponders his starting side this afternoon. He could keep Alim Ozturk and Jimmy Dunne at centre-half, or opt to recall one or both of Jack Baldwin and Tom Flanagan.

He could stick with Bryan Oviedo, or opt to bring back either Denver Hume, who signed a new contract on Thursday, or Reece James, who returned to training at the start of the week. And he could continue to play Aiden McGeady despite his foot injury, or opt to rest the Irish international in an attempt to ensure his availability for the play-offs, should that be where Sunderland end up.

Sunderland (possible, 4-2-3-1): McLaughlin; O’Nien, Ozturk, Dunne, James; Cattermole, Power; Morgan, Maguire, McGeady; Wyke.