Having won back-to-back games, and with two games against sides around them coming up, would anything they could pick up at Anfield be regarded as a bonus?
Sunderland manager David Moyes
The pressure surrounding Sunderland has certainly lifted a little in the past couple of weeks. Yes, they are still in the relegation zone, but the picture doesn’t look as bleak as it did.
Wins over Bournemouth and Hull City – the latter comprehensively – has breathed life into a season that threatened to be a long and torturous one for David Moyes and his side.
After no wins from their opening 10 games, and just the two points to show for their efforts, the situation looked desperate, but back-to-back wins has put them within striking distance of safety.
They have moved off the bottom of the table and are now in a position where they could drag a whole host of other sides into a real dogfight.
Their next three fixtures are interesting ones. This weekend sees them travel to the league’s top scorers in Liverpool before they face a home game against Leicester City, and then the league’s bottom club in Swansea City.
Some would suggest the game against Liverpool could be a daunting one. Despite the Reds drawing a blank in front of goal against Southampton, the Black Cats are likely to be in for a tough encounter against a side that is a handful for even the best sides when they are going forward. According to Oddschecker, the best price you will get on a Liverpool win at the weekend is 2/11. If Sunderland were to come away with any points to show for their efforts it would be regarded as a shock.
Sunderland’s Victor Anichebe celebrates
In terms of managing his side, it’s something that David Moyes can use to his advantage. Of course, he would like to get something from the game, but the past two wins will have instilled some confidence among the players and taken a little bit of pressure off them.
Take into account that he will still have players missing for this game – which was compounded by Papy Djilobodji’s late sending off against Hull – this can be seen as a bonus game in comparison to what they have next.
Leicester may be the champions but they are just a point above the relegation zone, while Swansea haven’t won a game since the opening day of the season. Though Sunderland have to travel to the Liberty Stadium, it’s a game they should go into with the confidence of winning, especially with two forwards showing their scoring touch in recent outings.
A defeat to Liverpool will not determine whether Sunderland stay up or go down this season, though taking points from the game would help, but what happens in games against the likes of Leicester City and Swansea could prove to be pivotal.
Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe celebrates
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