Sunderland told millions could be on the line ahead of FA Cup showdown vs Everton
Sunderland return to the FA Cup this weekend, but this time, it has a very different feel to it.
Sunderland suffered a 3-0 defeat against Brentford last time out, sparking some concern over their form away from home.
However, for only the second time this season, their attention will be drawn away from Premier League action, with the Black Cats set to take on Everton in their first ever trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
In previous years, a cup run has largely been written off, but the Wearsiders may have a different perspective this time round, especially with what is at stake.
Finance expert details how Sunderland could benefit financially from FA Cup
Survival in the Premier League is worth more than anything to Sunderland this season, though it would take a colossus fall off and a historic rise from the bottom three for the Black Cats to even be in the relegation conversation.
With that said, now that safety is already in sight, the Black Cats may have a different approach to the FA Cup.
In seasons gone by, it has been nothing short of a distraction from the bigger picture, but this season, it may prove to be the bigger picture due to the final benefits that can arise from it.
Speaking exclusively to Mackem News, finance expert Dan Plumley said: “I think that’s more about keeping the momentum going and giving the fans something to get behind and having a really good run and maybe getting to the latter stages of a big cup competition. The money’s largely neither here nor there.
“Winning the FA Cup is only going to get you £4.1million from now into the final, so it’s not going to be something that’s overly lucrative. We’re talking £3million for finishing a place higher in the Premier League.
“You can see the scale, it’s not a financial windfall, but it is a competition that, of course, they’ve got history in, and they’re more than likely to be safe given the way the league’s looking, so they might choose to attack that cup competition as well.
“I suppose the financial windfall, if you can win it, is through European money, not prize money itself from the FA Cup.“
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How likely are Sunderland to qualify for Europe via the league?
Darren Bent has been mooting European football for Sunderland since the Black Cats picked up a few early wins, and after 21 games, they are still somewhat in contention.
The Black Cats sit just two points away from seventh, which typically lands you a spot in the Europa League or the Conference League, depending on who wins the domestic cups.
However, according to Opta‘s supercomputer, Sunderland have just a 1.43 per cent chance of qualifying for Europe via the Premier League.
An FA Cup run may prove to be their best shot this season, especially when considering the fact that they have already taken points against all of the teams who would be considered favourites to win it.