The statistical quirk that should give Sunderland hope heading into Championship play-offs

By just about any metric, Sunderland have enjoyed a wonderful campaign. Assured of a play-off spot already and boasting an extraordinarily talented and vibrant young dressing room with a real shot of sealing a long-awaited promotion back to the Premier League, Regis Le Bris and his side can be immensely proud of the work they have done thus far.

And every now and again, another statistic or factoid will pop up that really hammers home the scale of their achievements at the Stadium of Light in recent months. For instance, at the time of writing, there are just three clubs in this season’s Championship who have not had a divisional rival do the league double over them at some point this term - Leeds United, Burnley, and, of course, the Black Cats.

What’s more, if the Clarets come a cropper against Millwall on the final day - and let’s face it, given that they’re already promoted, it could easily happen - Sunderland will finish the season as one of only two clubs in the entire second tier who have managed to get some kind of positive result out of every single one of their peers.

And considering that the Black Cats’ campaign won’t actually end on May 3rd, like it will for Leeds and Burnley, that resilient streak could ultimately end up being a very handy trait.

Next month, Sunderland will run the gauntlet of the Championship play-offs for the second time since they were relegated from the top flight in 2017. In the context of the season that they have produced - and the manner in which Tony Mowbray’s side snuck into the top six at the eleventh hour in 2023 - this is, arguably, the best chance that they have had to escape the Football League in eight long years.

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And any optimism must surely be bolstered by the knowledge - and the evidence - that they are capable of grinding out a result against any of their prospective opponents. Granted, there are clubs who are likely to be in the play-off picture - the likes of Bristol City and Coventry City - who have done a number on the Black Cats already this term. But the point is that Sunderland have also been able to offer performances of real encouragement against those sides too. There is, in other words, nobody who Le Bris’ squad should feel they have to fear when May rolls around.

It is also a stat that emphasises just how difficult Sunderland can be to beat on their day. Even when they aren’t winning matches, they aren’t necessarily losing them either, and given the narrow margins of a play-off push, that could be a pivotal factor in their bid. If they can hang in ties and give themselves a chance - even in dicey moments, even against tough opponents - who knows where next month could take them?

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