The major advantage Sunderland have over Portsmouth, Hull City and Ipswich Town in the coming weeks

That’s because the Black Cats look set to enjoy a far kinder December schedule than many of their League One promotion rivals.

While Phil Parkinson’s side do have to face table-topping Hull City, ninth placed Accrington Stanley and surprise package Lincoln City during the next month, they also play a number of teams in the bottom half of the table.

Indeed, three of Sunderland’s next five league fixtures come against sides currently sat in the relegation zone in Burton Albion, Wigan Athletic and Shrewsbury Town.

But how does their whole December shape up?

We’ve taken the current league standing of every team set to be faced by Sunderland and their rivals over the next month and calculated an average – to see which teams look set to enjoy an ‘easier’ month.

During the next few weeks, Sunderland will face teams with an average league position of 13.75. On paper at least, the Black Cats look to have been dealt a more fortunate hand than a number of other teams in the top ten.

Portsmouth, for example, look to have the hardest festive fixtures as they play sides with an average league standing of 9.71 – taking in games against Peterborough, Ipswich, Fleetwood and Hull City during the next month.

Peterborough and Hull also face difficult Decembers, with fixtures against side ranked at an average of 11th and 12th respectively.

Accrington and Lincoln City are among the members of the top ten to be handed a more fortunate schedule, with Lincoln facing the easiest run on paper.

For despite having to face both Sunderland and Hull before the turn of the year, the Imps play sides with an average standing of 16.43 during December.

A full list of the average league positions to be faced by the top ten in the next month are below – and ranked in order:

Portsmouth – Average league position of December opponents: 9.71

Peterborough – 11

Hull – 12

Ipswich – 12.57

Doncaster – 13.5

SUNDERLAND – 13.75

Fleetwood – 14.43

Charlton – 14.71

Accrington – 15.86

Lincoln – 16.43

A message from the Football Clubs Editor:

Our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative Sunderland AFC coverage 365 days a year.

This depth of SAFC coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package here.

Your support is much appreciated. Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor