Sunderland’s dearth of quality makes Championship struggles no surprise

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Sunderland and Aston Villa have both struggled at times this season, but the two teams are scarcely comparable.

Aston Villa are steadily pulling clear of the Championship relegation zone and developing into the team everyone thought they were when they dropped into the second tier last year.

Steve Bruce’s men are – ahead of the midweek fixtures – six unbeaten in the league and into the top half, with the talents of their expensively assembled side starting to show.

However, Villa leave Sunderland behind them in the Championship mire – and, unfortunately, Simon Grayson lacks the same quality options.

For Bruce’s side, there was a sense of inevitability that a squad containing the likes of John Terry, Robert Snodgrass and Jonathan Kodjia would work it out and find form.

Sunderland do not have players of that ilk. They are losing in the Championship on a consistent basis and yet the results can hardly be considered a shock.

The Black Cats are currently relying on a centre forward signed from League One and a pair of wingers who have come through the youth system and were not in the picture pre-David Moyes. They have already dumped their relegated goalkeeper Jason Steele on the bench; the improvement is minimal.

Sunderland fans might have looked at their squad and expected better, but their’s is a squad that does not look quite as out of place in the bottom three as some might think.

Any team can enjoy the Championship if they hit their stride and string some results together, but, until that happens, there can only be grave concern.