The Black Cats have suffered three defeats in a row and although they currently occupy a playoff berth, their automatic promotion hopes are fading, and teams below are catching up fast.
However, a new manager will bring optimism back to Wearside and Sunderland have 15 games to make good on their early season promise and end the season on a high.
Is automatic promotion a likely outcome this season? Or will it be the dreaded playoffs once again for Sunderland? Or worse?
Here, courtesy of FiveThirtyEight, a ‘supercomputer’ has predicted how the 2021/22 League One season will finish and which position each team is most likely to finish the season in, based on statistical analysis.
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9. 16th: Cambridge United - 55 points
After their FA Cup exploits have come to an end, their attention will now turn to bouncing back from two league defeats in a row and ensuring their League One status. Supercomputer prediction: 4% chance of relegation Photo: Julian Finney
10. 15th: Lincoln City - 57 points
It has been a disappointing campaign for Michael Appleton’s men to date with one of the early-season promotion hopefuls languishing in the bottom-half of the table. Supercomputer prediction: 2% chance of relegation Photo: Stu Forster
11. 14th: Accrington Stanley - 60 points
Mid-table mediocrity is being predicted for Accrington this season. Whilst that is not necessarily a bad outcome with the supercomputer not predicting that their supporters should be worrying about relegation, they also shouldn’t get too excited about a late season playoff push. Supercomputer prediction: Photo: Charlotte Tattersall
12. 13th: Burton Albion - 60 points
Much like Accrington Stanley, the supercomputer is not expecting Burton to be troubling sides at either end of the League One table this season. Supercomputer prediction: Photo: Charlotte Tattersall