Sunderland's Mike Dodds question ahead of Norwich, Southampton and Leicester matches as play-off hopes fade

Interim boss Mike Dodds remained optimistic when asked about Sunderland's play-off chances following their 2-1 defeat against Swansea - yet the Black Cats' margin for error appears slim.

Three successive defeats mean Sunderland have drifted eight points away from the top six with 12 games remaining, with their next three matches coming against sides who are seventh or higher in Norwich, Southampton and Leicester.

It is worth remembering Sunderland were in a similar position last season, though. After a chastening 5-1 defeat against Alex Neil's Stoke, the Black Cats were seven points off sixth place with 11 games to go. From there, Tony Mowbray's side lost just one of their remaining matches (against Sheffield United) to squeeze into the top six with 69 points.

Still, in the last 10 Championship seasons, that is the only time a team has made the play-offs with less than 70 points, with Swansea securing sixth spot with 70 points during the 2019/20 campaign.

Recent results mean Sunderland now need points against some of the division's top sides to stay in this season's play-off race, which, to their credit, they have been capable of. In Dodds' previous interim spell, the Black Cats recorded impressive wins over West Brom and Leeds, rising to the big occasions at the Stadium of Light.

Against the sides who are seventh or higher this season (including their next opponents Norwich in seventh), Sunderland have won five and lost four, with the defeats coming by a narrow one-goal margin against Leicester, Ipswich (twice) and Hull.

The question is, after a dismal first-half showing against Swansea, can Sunderland step up again under Dodds in the coming weeks to keep their top-six hopes alive? They have already beaten Norwich and Southampton this term, scoring five without reply against the Saints. Yet a lot has changed since those meetings earlier in the campaign. For starters, Sunderland have parted company with two head coaches since then.

Dodds will now have a full week on the training ground to prepare for the Norwich fixture, while he said after the Swansea match he's not afraid to make bold decisions to try and win matches. Sunderland will need those decisions to pay off to keep their fading play-off hopes alive.