'Alarming' - Steven Gerrard issues worrying Sunderland Premier League message amid Europa League balancing act

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has warned Sunderland they may have to focus their attention on preserving their Premier League status as they prepare to host Dinamo Zagreb in their latest Europa League fixture.

The Black Cats surpassed all expectations last season as a seventh placed finish in their first year back in the top flight of English football secured qualification for European competition for only the second time in their history. Although their Europa League campaign has got off to a positive start with seven points from three games, the same cannot be said of Sunderland’s Premier League campaign after Saturday’s defeat at Coventry City left them at the bottom of the table.

Regis Le Bris’ side have claimed just one win in their opening nine league games and that solitary victory came in the first week of the season when a Wilson Isidor goal saw off Fulham at the Stadium of Light. Gerrard has insisted the Black Cats must start getting results in the league and believes ‘every game in the league has got to be a cup final’ over the coming weeks and months.

When asked if Sunderland should focus on the Premier League and put their Europa League adventure to one side, speaking on the Overlap Daily sponsored by SkyBet, Gerrard said: "You've got to stay in the league. After the journey they've been on, I don't know how many years it is, the last decade, it's still early in the season, but if I'm the owner or if I'm on the board of that club and I'm speaking to the manager, I would be saying to the manager, forget Europe, forget the domestic cups, we need to start getting results in the league. We cannot go out of this league after the work and the journey we've been on. Every game in the league has got to be a cup final for Sunderland. That's the message I would be giving to the manager. And if I was the manager, I'd be giving that message to the players.”

‘Have the hunger levels just dropped a little bit?’

Gerrard also admitted he would be concerned if he was a Sunderland fan and believes the club are ‘in an alarming place’ at this point in time after the heroics of last season led to European football putting extra demands on players during the current campaign.

He said: “Yes, because I think they punched well above their weight and surprised everyone last year, and they were fantastic to watch at times, and they had a top season, they got European football, they deserve all that praise. Have the hunger levels just dropped a little bit? Because I'm sure they're getting the same messages from the manager and the coaches, so again, is it players needing to just step up and step forward and produce a bit more? But it's an alarming place to be after last season, and playing games on the back of European games is a lot tougher, an awful lot tougher. So, I would be worried if I was a Sunderland fan at the moment.”

The Echo's Europa League coverage is sponsored by Mobility Care Solutions - your Award winning Mobility provider in Sunderland and the surrounding areas (Healthcare Matters Mobility Company of the Year 2026).

For mobility scooters, living aids & vehicle adaptations, Mobility Care Solutions are here to provide a helping hand to make daily living that little bit easier. Visit our showroom today.

Your next Sunderland read: Sunderland face tough sacrifices to include Chemsdine Talbi and Jocelin Ta Bi in Europa League squad