How Sunderland’s Championship start compares to previous promoted clubs - including Leeds, Norwich & Watford

Ahead of Sunderland’s Championship fixture against Norwich, Tony Mowbray tried to ease concerns following a three-match losing run - pointing out his side only had three points fewer than what Burnley had at this stage last season.

Vincent Kompany’s side went on to win the title with 101 points as they moved through the gears during the second half of the campaign. But how much can we read into the league table at the start of November - with 14 games played?

Sunderland sit eighth in the table with 22 points following a 3-1 win over Norwich, one point off the play-offs, with a sizable 12-point gap to second-place Ipswich. We’ve taken a closer look at where previous promoted teams have been placed after 14 games:

2022/23 season after 14 games

Burnley - 25 points (1st) - Finished 1st

Sheffield United - 25 points (2nd) - Finished 2nd

Luton - 21 points (7th) - Finished 3rd (play-off winners)

While Burnley and Sheffield United pulled away in the second half of last season, only five points separated the top 11 teams after 14 games. That included Sunderland who had 20 points at this stage last season and managed to finish sixth with 69 points to reach the play-offs.

It’s looking like it will take a higher total than that to finish in the top six this term, with Ipswich (34 points) and Leicester (39 points) already setting a blistering pace. It’s also worth noting that Coventry (who were unable to play at home at the start of last season) and Middlesbrough recovered from poor starts to finish in the play-offs during the last campaign.

2021/22 season after 14 games

Fulham - 29 points (2nd) - Finished 1st

Bournemouth - 34 points (1st) - Finished 2nd

Nottingham Forest - 17 points (17th) - Finished 4th (play-off winners)

Fulham and Bournemouth were the early pacesetters during the 2021/22 season and went on to win automatic promotion with 90 and 88 points respectively.

Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest showed teams can recover from slow starts to reach the play-offs, though, with the two clubs sitting 14th and 15th in the table after 14 games with 18 and 17 points respectively.

2020/21 season after 14 games

Norwich - 28 points (1st) - Finished 1st

Watford - 26 points (3rd) - Finished 2nd

Brentford - 23 points (7th) - Finished 3rd (play-off winners)

Like in the previous two seasons, the teams which eventually won automatic promotion, Norwich and Watford, were well placed with 28 and 26 points respectively after 14 games. Play-off winners Brentford were also in the top seven on 23 points before finishing third with 87 points.

Bournemouth and Swansea finished in the top six that season and were second and fourth with 27 and 26 points respectively after 14 games, while Barnsley only had 16 points after 14 matches but still finished fifth with 79 points.

2019/20 season after 14 games

Leeds - 25 points (3rd) - Finished 1st

West Brom - 27 points (1st) - Finished 2nd

Fulham - 23 points (7th) - Finished 4th (play-off winners)

During the season which was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Leeds and West Brom were eventually promoted automatically following strong starts to the season.

Swansea and Fulham had 25 and 23 points respectively after 14 games before finishing in the play-offs, while Brentford (who finished 3rd) had 21 and Cardiff (who finished fifth) had 18 at this stage of the season.

2018/19 season after 14 games

Norwich - 24 points (6th) - Finished 1st

Sheffield United - 26 points (3rd) - Finished 2nd

Aston Villa (play-off winners) - 18 points (16th) - Finished 5th

Norwich and Sheffield United were both within touching distance of the league leaders after 14 games before they were promoted automatically in 2019.

Leeds, West Brom and Derby, who all finished in the play-offs, were also in the top six at the end of October, while Aston Villa came from 16th to finish fifth on 76 points before winning the play-offs.