Sunderland’s return to the Premier League for the 2025-26 season has been astonishing and the Black Cats could be set for a top half finish despite pre-season predictions that they could be relegated at the first time of asking.
Sunderland have potentially been the stand-out story of the Premier League season as they’ve overachieved against expectations to find themselves safely secured in midtable having gone 12 games unbeaten at home before finally losing to reigning champions Liverpool.
That defeat has left the Black Cats in 11th place after racking up 36 points from their first 26 games and leaving pre-season relegation worries well behind them as they enjoy a 12 point cushion over 18th placed West Ham.
Sunderland odds to finish in the 2025-26 Premier League top half: Outright odds and predictions
Sunderland have managed just three top-10 finishes in 16 Premier League seasons. Their most recent came in 2010-11, when they finished 10th under Steve Bruce, outperforming rivals Newcastle (12th). Before that, they achieved back-to-back 7th-place finishes in 1999-2000 and 2000/2001.
However, that long wait for a top 10 finish could be about to end with the Black Cats very much secure in the middle of the Premier League table. They’re priced at 7/5 at the time of writing to finish in the top half – a shorter price than last season’s FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, for example.
Sunderland odds to be relegated from the 2025-26 Premier League: Outright odds and predictions
Sunderland were installed as the firm 1/4 favourites for relegation ahead of the 2025-26 Premier League season, reflecting the recent trend of newly promoted sides suffering immediate relegation in each of the last two years.
However, they have smashed expectations and after starting the season in fantastic form have never really looked back – even managing to take points off both Arsenal and Manchester City at the Stadium of Light.
Relegation threats now feel like a distant memory and attention will turn to avoiding the dreaded ‘second season syndrome’ in the next campaign.
Sunderland Golden Boot odds: Outright odds and predictions
Sunderland’s only Premier League Golden Boot winner remains Kevin Phillips, who struck an incredible 30 goals in 36 games during the 1999-2000 season. That tally stood as the highest in a 38-game Premier League campaign until Cristiano Ronaldo netted 31 in 2007/08.
Nobody will challenge Kevin Phillips for quite some time and indeed no Sunderland players have any real chance of even placing in the Golden Boot market this season. Their top scorer at this stage is Brian Brobbey, who has scored five times in his 21 Premier League appearances, closesy followed by Wilson Isidor.
Sunderland PFA Player of the Year odds: Outright odds and predictions
While Sunderland can boast a past Golden Boot winner, they’ve yet to produce a Premier League Player of the Year. Their standout performers in 2025/26 are far more likely to be in contention for the club’s own Player of the Year honours than in the wider PFA awards conversation.
Sunderland ins and outs
Despite losing Jobe Bellingham and Tom Watson, Sunderland showed some serious intent in the transfer market in the summer. A club-record £30 million was spent on versatile defender Habib Diarra from Strasbourg, while £21 million secured winger Simon Adingra from Brighton. Midfielder Enzo Le Fée has joined permanently from Roma for £19 million, with further investment bringing in Chemsdine Talbi (£19.5m) and Noah Sadiki (£15m). Experienced full-back Reinildo has also arrived on a free transfer from Atlético Madrid.
And that’s without touching on Granit Xhaka, Robin Roefs, Brian Brobbey and Omar Alderete all of whom have been really impressive for the Black Cats so far this term.
In January three more additions were made to the squad with Jocelin Ta Bi, Melker Ellborg and Nilson Angulo arriving while the likes of Adil Aouchiche and Patrick Roberts were moved on, the latter joining Birmingham for an undisclosed fee.