History is on Sunderland’s side

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HITC Sport dissects how Sunderland have fared in the Premier League so far this season.

1. Start to the season

Sunderland had an abysmal start to the Premier League season. It took the North-East outfit a whopping 11 matches to get a victory – eight defeats, two draws – and the club’s fans were justifiably fearing relegation into the Championship

2. Performance of the manager

David Moyes’s reputation as a football manager has taken a battering since leaving Everton in 2013. He has since been sacked by Manchester United and Real Sociedad, and he didn’t look far away from parting company with Sunderland after failing to win any of his first 10 Premier League matches. But the Scot has, to his credit, steadied the ship a little, picking up four victories since then to give his side a shot at winning yet another relegation battle.

3. Team performance of the season so far

Moyes’s side beat Bournemouth 2-1 at Dean Court at the beginning of November. It was their first victory of the campaign but the manner of it suggested that there was life in Sunderland yet. Dan Gosling fired the hosts ahead after 11 minutes, but the Black Cats came back to win, with Jermain Defoe netting a 74th-minute winner. Winning at Bournemouth is not an easy task, but if Sunderland can replicate the character shown on that day then they’ll have a fighting chance to survive. The defeat to Burnley this weekend, however, means that picking the team up quickly again will be a big ask.

4. Star player

With nine Premier League goals, Sunderland’s survival pretty much hinges on whether they can keep Defoe at the Stadium of Light. The veteran hitman has been linked with a move away, but Moyes simply must keep him.

5. Where to strengthen in January

Defoe is vital for Sunderland, but their relegation battle would be far easier to win if the Scottish manager could find and sign a player who shared the goalscoring burden with the 34-year-old. More goals equates to more of a chance of staying in the division. Sunderland need another striker, but whether they find one capable of aiding their survival is another question.

6. Likelihood of strengthening in January

It seems very likely that Sunderland will strengthen. Much will depend on the attitude of the owner – if Ellis Short is prepared to gamble in the transfer window, however, history is on Sunderland’s side.

7. Challenges ahead

By virtue of the fact that they have been in the bottom three for much of the season, Sunderland’s biggest challenge is undoubtedly whether or not they can stay in the Premier League. They have two tricky tests in the month of January – first the visit of Liverpool on Monday, before hosting Spurs on January 31 – but they also face West Brom and Stoke.

8. Predicted end of season position

16th. Moyes’s Everton side perenially improved in the second half of the Premier League season, and Sunderland fans will be hoping and praying that they see a similar pattern. It’s much harder at Sunderland, because the Scot had a better squad to work with at Goodison Park, but he still has the experience needed to steer them clear of danger. Plus, the Black Cats have proven themselves very resillient in relegation battles over the past few years.