Why is Sunderland struggling in the Europa League and Premier League?
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Dinamo Zagreb under the lights at the Stadium of Light on Bonfire Night. These should be exciting times for Sunderland and their fans, who before this season had been starved of European football for more than half a century. Instead, there is concern that the club's Europa League campaign, which includes a trip to AC Milan in December, has become a hindrance after the team's poor domestic start.
Last season's surprise Premier League champions are rooted to the bottom of the table, with just one win and six defeats from nine games. Will a game against the Croatian champions on Thursday (20:00 GMT) serve as a welcome distraction before Sunday's visit of Chelsea?
When Sunderland won at Stamford Bridge last season in their ninth game back after promotion, the Black Cats sat second in the table after an electrifying start. After nine games this season, it's a very different story.
Questions are being asked about the long-term future of manager Regis le Bris, the man who masterminded Sunderland's return to Europe for the first time in 53 years.
So, after last season's impressive seventh-placed finish, why are Sunderland struggling this time round? Following last Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Coventry City, captain Granit Xhaka questioned the team's "courage", weeks after France defender Nordi Mukiele claimed the side had become "arrogant".
BBC Sport understands Le Bris' job is not immediately in danger and he will be given more time to turn things around. The Frenchman, in charge since July 2024, is Sunderland's longest-serving manager since Steve Bruce, who was in charge between June 2009 and November 2011. Le Bris has credit in the bank for winning promotion and then claiming a European spot.
This season, he has managed to propel the Black Cats into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, where they face fellow Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. But how long will Sunderland's hierarchy remain patient if the club, currently two points from safety, stay anchored in the bottom three?
"They ended last season quite well to get into Europe and that felt really historic," said former Sunderland loan signing Nedum Onuoha. "But there was talk then that maybe he [Le Bris] wasn't quite the guy. Sunderland fans who probably had their doubts last season, I really doubt that they will be thinking he is the manager long term."
French football expert Julien Laurens added about former Lorient boss Le Bris: "This is not looking good. I look at Sunderland and I'm not seeing him find the solutions to turn things around. For me, that is really worrying."
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Sunderland's paradox: San Siro trip amid relegation battle
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Published 3 days ago
Is Sunderland's poor form a surprise?
Sunderland, who were playing in League One as recently as 2022, were lauded as one of the stories of last season, after doing the double over Chelsea and fierce rivals Newcastle, as well as holding both Arsenal and Manchester City at home.
The numbers suggest repeated success was always going to be difficult. Only relegated Burnley and Wolves had a lower Expected Goals difference than Sunderland last campaign.
So, is this just the dreaded second-season syndrome? According to the stats, not really.
Last season, Sunderland and Leeds became the 53rd and 54th promoted sides to survive in the Premier League. Of the previous 52, only 11 were relegated the following season (21%). The vast majority of promoted teams that stay up do not suffer from second-season syndrome.
With three-quarters of the Premier League season to go, Sunderland will rightly argue there is plenty of time to save themselves. Yet those heady days of 12 months ago must feel a long way off. Two of Sunderland's seven league goals this season have come from the penalty spot, while they have finished with 10 men in defeats by Arsenal (Reini ... [rest of the text is missing or incomplete in the provided content])