Over the past couple of seasons, sides promoted from the Championship have immediately been sent back down. Many expected it to be a similar story in 2025-26, but Sunderland already look set to buck the trend.
After a summer that saw Regis le Bris splash around £163 million on 15 new players, either permanently or on loan, there was a lot of change. It’s clearly paid off, and now Sunderland aren’t just surviving, they’re thriving, and very much in contention for a European place come the end of the season.
Still, there is a lot of football to be played between now and then. So, why have Sunderland been so good this season, and is it sustainable?
One of the best defensive sides in the league
Sunderland don’t score much, so don’t expect them to be beating anyone 6-0 any time soon, their top goal scorer Wilson Isidor has four. That doesn’t necessarily matter too much when you have one of the best defences in the league, however.
One of the reasons so many sides have yo-yoed between the Championship and Premier League in recent season is the fact managers have been unwilling to divert away from their style that was so successful in the second flight and adapt to the elite level of English football.
Call it naivety, call it hubris, call it whatever you want, it’s ultimately daft. The beauty of Le Bris’ system is that he hasn’t had to adapt much at all. Last season, Sunderland averaged 49.1% possession and scored just 58 goals.
This season, only relegation candidates West Ham and Burnley have had less of the ball than Sunderland (41.8%). That’s a significant drop off, but it’s not like Sunderland had much interest in dominating games anyway.
One potentially worrying statistic is their xG conceded. Sunderland are massively overperforming in that metric, having only let 18 goals in compared to the projection of 26.9. Robin Roefs is a very busy goalkeeper too, averaging 3.5 saves per 90, the third most in the Premier League.
It should come as absolutely no surprise that most of Sunderland’s best performers operate in the defensive third. Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete, and Dan Ballard have all been fantastic, but none of them compare to arguably the signing of the summer.
Granit Xhaka is a man on a mission
It was hailed as a major coup when Sunderland managed to persuade Xhaka to return to the Premier League after a stellar couple of seasons at Bayer Leverkusen, one in which he played a key role to help the German side win their first ever Bundesliga title.
Few would have imagined he would have turned out as good as he’s been, however. Xhaka has brought a level of leadership that few promoted sides have had, and he’s clearly committed to leading by example.
Playing in a double pivot, usually alongside fellow summer signing Noah Sadiki, who is currently away for AFCON, Xhaka has been as consistent as they come, providing five assists and even popping up with a goal.
His defensive and passing numbers are what really impress. Sadiki brings the youthful exuberance needed to play alongside a more deep lying playmaker like Xhaka, allowing the veteran to dictate play rather than running about and making last minute tackles.
He still puts in the work when needed though. Xhaka has completed 31 tackles, 17 interceptions, and 86 recoveries. He’s also hard to beat, winning a massive 96 ground duels and 40 aerials.
As for his passing, Xhaka is up there with the very best. The defensive midfielder has created 25 chances, had 15 successful crosses, 86 accurate long balls, and is massively overperforming his xA of 1.89.
Is it sustainable?
Sunderland’s attacking numbers are really poor. They’re 20th for xG (16.3), 18th for big chances created (30), 20th for accurate passes per 90 minutes (287.7), and 19th for touches in opposition boxes, (351).
So, in all honesty, we would be surprised if we see them in a European spot when all is said and done, but we also need to be realistic about expectations. Avoiding relegation was the target at the start of the season, and given how poor so many other sides are, Sunderland should be fine, and the fans can enjoy the rest of the season with little stress… hopefully for them.