Sunderland are currently well adrift in the Premier League table.
A report in the Daily Mail has claimed that Sunderland’s staff have begun to fear that the club’s hierarchy have already accepted that they will be relegated from the Premier League this season as they have already made a number of people redundant.
David Moyes’ men have made a dreadful start to the campaign. After 10 games in the top flight, they have failed to win a single fixture and have collected just two points.
Sunderland manager David Moyes
That start has left them eight points behind the three teams who currently sit just outside the bottom three in the division.
And while the Black Cats have specialised in pulling themselves out of seemingly impossible positions in recent years – they have secured survival on the penultimate game of the campaign in the last three seasons – the Mail suggests that they already appear to be resigned to their fate this time around.

The Mail reports that some administrative staff within the club have been made redundant, leaving those still working at the Stadium of Light concerned that the board are preparing for the financial implications of falling into the Championship.
While the fact that there have been a number of teams that have fallen into the abyss following relegation over the years means that it is arguably wise for Sunderland to prepare for such an eventuality, the Black Cats supporters may feel upset that the board appear to have given up on this season already.

Although the situation is desperate, there have been enough close games and there is still more than enough time to suggest that Sunderland could still pull themselves out of trouble.
But if the club approach the January window with one eye on the Championship, then they will surely have no chance of recovering from their awful start.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
