Aitor Karanka’s prediction of where Sunderland would finish this season is very interesting now

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Aitor Karanka is currently the bookies favourite to land the Sunderland job.

Aitor Karanka is currently the favourite with the bookies’ to land the Sunderland job, and the Spanish boss may be surprised at just how much trouble the Black Cats are in.

Sunderland parted company with Simon Grayson last night, after a 3-3 draw with Bolton Wanderers.

The Black Cats are in 23rd position in the Championship table, and that is sure to be a shock to Karanka, considering the former Middlesbrough man felt that Sunderland would be challenging for promotion at the start of the season.

He told the Chronicle, back in June: “Sunderland will be fighting for the play-off positions, obviously.

“But I don’t see them actually finishing in the top six because Simon has only just arrived.”

Whether Karanka would be open to taking the Sunderland job, if it was offered to him, remains to be seen.

Sunderland are performing well below Karanka’s expectations, and they are fighting a relegation battle, rather than pushing for a top six spot.

Sunderland have won just once all season, and they have not been victorious in a home match for the entirety of 2017.

The Wearsiders’ next match comes Karanka’s former side Middlesbrough on Sunday, but it seems unlikely that Sunderland will have a new permanent manager in place by then.