Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists it is never easy to face Sunderland.
The Citizens host Gustavo Poyet's side in what will be the second of three consecutive home games and they will be eager to cancel out last Sunday's disappointing result against Burnley.
"I think it will be a tough game again," Pellegrini said.
"It is a team that normally we don't have good results against, when we play against Sunderland.
"Finally this year we won and we hope we will do it also at home.
"Last year it was one of the postponed games and then when we played it was in a difficult moment, we just drew.
"It is a good team with a good manager, Gustavo Poyet. They know exactly the way they want to play, they have strong players in aerial duels so they are a difficult team.
"But I hope this year we start the new year winning the three points."
Meanwhile, the Chilean says it is unlikely that Manchester City will sign any players during the winter transfer window.
"I don't think we are going to be too busy in this window," the manager said.
"We have restrictions about the amount of money and about the number of players we can put in the Champions League, so I don't think it will be a special transfer window for our team.
"We have the option to do it - we will see in the whole month of January what we are going to do about that - but it is not a major concern."
