Sunderland saved the bulk of their nine lives for the playoffs.
The Black Cats secured their Premier League return in fine fashion. Dan Ballard scored a 122nd winner in the semi-final aggregate triumph over Coventry in May. Not to be outdone, Tom Watson netted in the 95th minute to send Sunderland up in their playoff final victory over Sheffield United.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Few had expected Sunderland to even be challenging for a promotion spot last season. Regis Le Bris took over at the Stadium of Light after a two-year stint at the Lorient helm came to an end. In his debut campaign in English football, Le Bris performed a miracle to take Sunderland up.
What’s all the more impressive is that Sunderland look the best equipped to beat the drop. It goes without saying that Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton were dire following their promotion. Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland will have done their homework and prepared for the campaign accordingly.
Yet as Leeds and Burnley sit three and two points above the relegation zone, respectively, Sunderland are level with Chelsea and Tottenham on 14 points. They’ve won four of their opening eight matches, double Southampton’s total last season, with the Stadium of Light in particular a fortress.
New signings settling quickly
No team has collected more home points than Sunderland (10) in the Premier League this season. Promoted sides need to maximise home advantage, and Le Bris’ side are doing just that. What’s notable is that this start comes on the back of a raft of new faces at the club. Sunderland signed no fewer than 14 players in the off-season, not including Marc Guiu’s short stint at the club.
In addition, they sold Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund. Such player upheaval could have proven detrimental. Yet the Black Cats invested heavily in defence, and this has been key. Newly promoted sides often overlook the backline. Sunderland made it their priority.
Robin Roefs has shone between the sticks. Omer Alderete, Nordi Mukiele, Reinildo, Arthur Masuaku and Lutsharel Geertruida are experienced defensive reinforcements. Granit Xhaka, meanwhile, has anchored the midfield superbly. Instilling the Swiss star as captain has proven a masterstroke by Le Bris.
Adaptability under Le Bris
What’s been crucial, though, has been Le Bris’ willingness to compromise on his tactical principles. The adaptability in his second season points to a manager prepared to learn from the previous mistakes of others. Sunderland didn’t routinely dominate in the Championship last season, evidenced by a 48.6% possession average. That’s since dropped to 43.7% in the Premier League, the fourth lowest.
Le Bris is well aware of Sunderland’s limitations. The Frenchman knows his side won’t dictate play, so instead has deployed a more pragmatic approach. With the Black Cats sitting deeper, they’re now making more clearances per 90 (33.8) this season than they were last (26.6). New signings Muikele, Alderete, Xhaka and Reinildo rank among the best performing players for this metric at the club.
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A knack for being in the right place at the right time enables Sunderland to readily alleviate pressure on their goal. This defensive awareness has seen Sunderland concede only six league goals this season. Only Arsenal (3) have shipped fewer.
As Sunderland sit deeper, opponents adopt a more direct approach. Again, though, Le Bris has prepared for this. Only Everton (40.3) are contesting more aerial duels per 90 than Sunderland (38.3) in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign. That figure has risen from 29.9 in the Championship last season, a return that was the fourth lowest.
Black Cats boss willing to tinker
Furthermore, Le Bris is willing to tinker with his system depending on the situation. The 49-year-old favours a 4-3-3 setup but is prepared to change in-game. Xhaka anchors the side, while new signings Chemsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra and Enzo Le Fee – his move made permanent – hold the width. It means when they win possession, they get the ball upfield to the flanks quickly.
Only Brentford (37%) are playing a higher proportion of their passes forward than Sunderland (36.4%). In addition, just 21% of their attacks go through the middle, the lowest in the Premier League. When they win the ball, it goes forward quickly. and primarily to the flanks.
Many may point to a relatively easy start as a way with which Sunderland have accumulated 14 points so far. Indeed, in their opening eight games, they’ve only played two that finished higher than 10th. Aston Villa were in the midst of a dire start when they faced Sunderland. Saying that, having been reduced to 10 men in the first half, the Black Cats did well to claim a result
In addition, they beat Nottingham Forest at the City Ground with Ange Postecoglou in charge. In hindsight, it was hardly the toughest test. Before the November international break, Sunderland play Chelsea and Arsenal. They start December with meetings against Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle.
Importantly, Sunderland are earning the points they need to in order to stay up. They’re unlikely to beat the Premier League’s big hitters. Claiming wins against the likes of West Ham, Brentford and Wolves is what’ll see them stave off relegation. It’s early days but the Black Cats have their claws sharpened and ready for a scrap.