Sunderland ‘have point to prove’ as most likely Premier League finish predicted
Sunderland are already up against it ahead of their return to the Premier League.
With the Premier League fixtures now revealed, Sunderland fans may finally have come to terms with the fact that last season actually happened.
A season back in the top flight beckons for Regis Le Bris’ side, and they will be fully aware of the magnitude of the task that lies ahead.
Sunderland need to break the trend of newly promoted teams falling straight back down into the Championship, and the latest predictions showcase just how hard that will be.
Premier League survival will be the goal for the Black Cats
It seems like a lifetime ago that Sunderland won promotion back to the promised land, though it seems even further away until the campaign gets underway.
The Black Cats will start their season with a home clash against West Ham, and finish with an encounter with Chelsea, though their December run has raised a few eyebrows.
| Tyne-Wear Derby | W | D | L |
| Sunderland | 53 | 49 | 54 |
| Newcastle | 54 | 49 | 53 |
Throughout that period, Sunderland will face Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear Derby, while also coming up against Pep Guardiola’s side twice, showcasing how crucial it will be to pick up points before that wretched run of fixtures.
However, as per Oddschecker, the Black Cats are predicted to finish bottom of the Premier League, with Burnley and Leeds also not far behind them.
That won’t come as a surprise given the gulf in quality between the two divisions, but Sunderland certainly have it in them to defy the odds and prove their doubters wrong this season.
Le Bris can write Sunderland history, again
Le Bris has already earned himself a spot in the Wearside history books, having won promotion in his first season at the Stadium of Light, and if he can steer them to safety in the Premier League, that legacy will grow further.
However, recruitment is going to play a deciding role as to whether or not that can be achieved, with a crucial period ahead for Sunderland.
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