Sunderland’s January fixtures will test improvement under Moyes

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With a few important fixtures remaining in January, Sunderland’s supposed improvement under David Moyes will be tested.

Ever since Sunderland’s disastrous start to the season, fans and critics alike have been questioning whether or not David Moyes still has what it takes to manage at the highest level.

As we have seen in the last few weeks, the Black Cats have shown signs of life and with a big few games ahead they will be once again be tested both in the Premier League and the FA Cup.

With Stoke City still reeling from their cup exit at the hands of Wolves, the Potters could come out firing when the two sides face off at the Stadium of Light. It is definitely a winnable home game and with both teams not getting what they wanted from the FA Cup, it will test Sunderland’s resolve and comeback-ability.

Three days following that comes the replay against Burnley.

Now with a game against the Clarets coming up in mid-March, this would be yet another good chance to suss out how the Lancashire-based side play.

Mind games are an important part of being a top flight side, and a win that would see them progress at the expense of their relegation rivals could be a huge factor later in the season.

A trip to The Hawthorns follows in what will be a tough game against an in-form West Brom side. While Sunderland may not go there expecting to get anything, those low expectations could work in their favour with Anichebe likely to want to strike against his former side.

They then finish up against Tottenham Hotspur, and despite the run Spurs have been on as of late the Stadium of Light could prove to be a factor in this one.

If they can create an intimidating atmosphere from the first whistle, the pressure will be on as the game gets deeper and deeper with Spurs having a history of bottling important games. When you also think about the possibility of Defoe bagging a few against his former side, this becomes an increasingly interesting contest.

So whether you likes Moyes or you hate him, you cannot deny that this will be a critical few weeks in the Scot’s career.