After defeats for Hull, Middlesbrough and Sunderland on one night, what is going wrong for the Premier League’s relegated trio?
Garry Monk, the Middlesbrough manager.
There were many stories to take from Tuesday’s (September 26) round of fixtures in the Championship. Cardiff City getting the better of Leeds United in a top of the table clash, or bottom-placed Bolton Wanderers making it ten games without a win now after losing at in-form Bristol City.
Yet one interesting quirk was that the three teams that came down from the Premier League last season – Hull City, Middlesbrough and Sunderland – all lost.
Bradley Johnson of Derby scores the fourth goal during the Sky Bet Championship match against Hull City.
Two of those were at home, as Hull were beaten 2-1 by Preston North End and Boro went down 1-0 to Norwich City. The Black Cats, meanwhile, continued their miserable run with a 5-2 hammering at Ipswich Town.
So what is going wrong for those who suffered the drop? At the start of 2017/18 a poll conducted with Sky Sports viewers had Middlesbrough battling for promotion and the Tigers and Sunderland in the top half. None are emulating that currently in ninth, 17th and 22nd respectively.
Firstly the negative momentum of coming down cannot be taken lightly. Relegated sides are expected to be among the title favourites in the division below, but it can be difficult to turn around poor morale and form – particularly at the Stadium of Light where it had been a struggle to keep their heads above water in the top flight for some time.
Simon Grayson, manager of Sunderland.
Manager Simon Grayson also had the tough ask of trying to put together a squad capable of competing on a shoestring budget and at the moment that hasn’t really clicked.
Hull have undergone an overhaul of their own. They were the closest to staying up last term and as a result have had their better players poached, with Sam Clucas, Harry Maguire and Andrew Robertson among 11 departures.
Boro are perhaps the biggest surprise. Although admittedly only three points off the playoffs at the moment, they were expected to be competing at the very top after spending big on the likes of Britt Assombalonga, Martin Braithwaite and Ashley Fletcher this summer.
For new bosses Garry Monk, Leonid Slutsky and Grayson it has not been the start they would have hoped for, or which many would have expected.
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