The Black Cats, who didn’t play this weekend, are down to fourth in League One after several results went against them.
Although Sunderland have an exciting cup final at Wembley to look forward to, the main goal for the club is promotion from League One, and the way things have turned out, they are currently in the middle of a gap of nearly three weeks between league fixtures.
The Black Cats last played a third-tier fixture on Saturday 16 March, a 2-1 win over Walsall, but this week they have not been in action due to too many international call-ups, while most other teams in their division were in action.
Next weekend, meanwhile, is the Checkatrade Trophy final against Portsmouth at England’s iconic stadium, and it won’t be until Wednesday 3 April that they return to action, with a trip to Accrington Stanley on the cards.
The game away at Lancashire is the first of a frantic end to the season as the Black Cats play their final nine matches in the space of just 32 days, with three games in hand on the majority of their promotion rivals once they return to league action.
Given things were out of their control this weekend, Sunderland – and their fans – could only stand and watch as Portsmouth moved above Jack Ross’s side with a win at Shrewsbury Town.
On top of that, Luton Town extended their lead at the top with a comfortable home victory against Doncaster Rovers, and arguably worst of all, Barnsley scored a 92nd-minute winner at Walsall to create a four-point gap between the automatic promotion slots and the playoffs (BBC Sport).
Here is how some Black Cats faithful reacted to the weekend’s events:
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