Robbie Savage thinks Sunderland could be this season’s Aston Villa.
Robbie Savage during the pro-am
Pundit Robbie Savage has told The Mirror that he thinks Sunderland will meet the same fate as Aston Villa in being relegated from the Premier League this season.
Sunderland are in action against Arsenal this afternoon, with manager David Moyes desperately looking for some points to kickstart the Black Cats’ season.
After nine games, Sunderland are the only Premier League team yet to win a game, picking up just two points so far as they sit bottom of the table.
Sunderland manager David Moyes before the match
Today’s challenge doesn’t look any easier, as Sunderland face an Arsenal side who have dropped just two points in the last seven games.
The pressure is already mounting on manager Moyes, who hasn’t been able to build on how Sam Allardyce kept the club in the top flight at the end of last season, with some already calling for Allardyce – who lost his job as England manager last month – to return as Moyes’ replacement.
Sunderland’s Stadium of Light
Ahead of today’s game, pundit Robbie Savage has spoken to The Mirror about Sunderland’s situation, suggesting that he thinks Moyes made a mistake at the start of the season by saying that the Black Cats will be in a relegation battle.
The Welshman added that he thinks Moyes is a ‘decent man’, but compared Sunderland’s situation to Aston Villa’s, in that after years of staving off relegation, this is the year they fall into the Championship.
Savage ultimately thinks that time is up for Sunderland, and Moyes, Allardyce or even Sir Alex Ferguson couldn’t keep the club in the Premier League come the end of the season.
Sunderland manager David Moyes looks dejected
“David Moyes made a mistake by saying, after only two games, that Sunderland would be in another relegation battle this season,” said Savage. “With only two points from nine games, it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. But he’s a decent man, and I don’t like it when people start calling for his head and Sam Allardyce to be given his old job back.”
“The same thing happens year after year – they dodge relegation by the skin of their teeth, whether it’s Paolo Di Canio, Gus Poyet, Dick Advocaat or Big Sam pulling off the great escape. And then the whole cycle begins again. I fear for Moyes because the recent pattern has been for Sunderland to start badly and a new manager to come in and pull things round. But this time, I think the Black Cats have used up their nine lives.”
“Just as Aston Villa flirted with relegation for several years before it finally happened, I’m afraid Sunderland are going down this time. Sadly, those hard-luck stories are typical of teams who are heading for the drop – and typical for managers like Moyes who are under big pressure. I’m not sure Moyes can keep Sunderland up. I’m not sure Big Sam could do it if he came back. In fact, it’s looking so grim on Wearside that I doubt if Sir Alex Ferguson could rescue them now,” he added.
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