Premier League apologise as Sunderland impacted by new announcement
Sunderland are just weeks away from making their return to the Premier League.
The Black Cats will play host to West Ham on 16 August as they prepare for life back in the big time, and they look set to have a real go at it.
Six new arrivals have already checked in at the Stadium of Light, with several more expected before the season gets underway as the Wearsiders continue to show their ambition in the summer transfer window.
While being in the top flight comes with plenty of benefits, it also has its downfalls, one of which the Premier League have been forced to apologise for.
Sunderland fixtures moved in September announcement
Sunderland have three Premier League fixtures set for September, with an away trip to Crystal Palace followed by encounters with Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
Now, the latter two fixtures have been moved for TV broadcast, with the new dates and times as followed.
| Sunderland | Venue | Date | Time |
| Aston Villa | Stadium of Light | 21 September | 2pm |
| Nottingham Forest | City Ground | 27 September | 5:30m |
The Premier League were due to announce these fixture changes two weeks ago, and have been forced to apologise to supporters for the late release via a statement on their official site on Wednesday (23 July).
It reads: “While the Premier League’s fixture announcement dates advised that September’s fixtures would be released on 9 July, delays in local approvals for fixtures unfortunately meant only August fixtures were announced on this date.
“The Premier League would like to apologise for not being able to confirm these fixtures until now. However, today’s announcement is in line with our commitment to give at least six weeks’ notice for fixture announcements before January. “
Sunderland must get off to a good start
Aside from the worries that emerged with AFCON, Sunderland have a horrid set of fixtures over the festive period, amplifying the need to pick up points in the early stages of the campaign.
From December, Sunderland will face Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester City twice, with a crucial fixture against Leeds United also in that period.
Black Cats fans will be optimistic ahead of the new campaign, though much of that will also hinge on the business they can do in the transfer window between now and the end of August.
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