Sunderland have not won in six games and are just one place outside of the Championship relegation zone.
Sunderland fans look on during the Carabao Cup First Round match against Bury.
Sunderland ended a run of four successive Championship defeats on Saturday (September 16) when they drew 1-1 at Hull City as their former midfielder David Meyler rescued a point for the Tigers late on.
Despite the result the Black Cats are just one place outside the relegation zone in the second tier of English football with six points, having won only one of their opening eight league matches.
Lewis Grabban (R), of Sunderland celebrates with James Vaughan after scoring a goal.
Having ended a decade in the Premier League last season when they went down as the bottom placed side, this will make for worrying viewing for the fans even at this early stage.
Yet unlike their rivals Newcastle United in 2016/17, can the Wearsiders have realistic ambitions of bouncing straight back to the top flight at the first time of asking? Early form would suggest not.
Sunderland manager Simon Grayson.
In fact there is legitimate reason to say that even less than two months into the start of the new campaign, simply avoiding getting relegated again is the main target for the North East outfit.
Financial difficulty meant manager Simon Grayson was limited in what he could do in the transfer market this summer and after the game against Hull he hinted that supporters should maybe temper their expectations on what the club can achieve this term.
“It’s a big football club, an ex-Premier League club, that wants to be at the top end of the division,” Grayson told Channel 5’s Championship programme.
“But I think there is a reality among the supporters and people connected with the club that we’re not in a position to spend the money that the other clubs are spending in and around us.”
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