Wise Men Say: Sunderland are well placed but Cats are only ever one big-game defeat away from catastrophic self-destruction

And that’s not just through the play-offs. Ahead of kick off on Saturday, there’ll be nine points between top-of-the-league Rotherham United and 11th-placed Doncaster Rovers.

It’s at this point you want the players to focus on their game and not worry about anyone else.

But let’s be real, no one does that. It’s impossible to block out what’s going on around you when you’re fighting for promotion.

As Sunderland, and every other team in this league have shown, anyone can beat anyone.

But certainly since Christmas Phil Parkinson has found a way of taking care of those ‘lesser’ sides. And that might be the Black Cats’ answer.

Out of our 13 remaining games, we only come across a top 11 side five times, with four of those coming at the Stadium of Light – where we haven’t lost since November.

In fact, on paper, it looks like we have one of the easiest run-ins compared to those around us.

Ipswich Town have the same number of top 11 sides to face, although they’ve played a game more.

And even though Peterborough only come up against three fellow promotion pushers, two are away from home – one of them being at Sunderland – and they’ve played 33 to our 31.

Rotherham, Coventry City and Portsmouth have the hardest challenge ahead - on paper at least.

They each have seven teams currently in the top 11 left to play this season, with Coventry hosting five, Rotherham three and Pompey just two.

Add to that Portsmouth’s involvement in the FA Cup and Leasing.com trophy and there’s a chance Kenny Jackett’s man could find their attention drifting elsewhere.

However, if Sunderland’s time in League One has taught us anything, it’s that we’re one big-game defeat away from catastrophic self-destruction.

It was March when the wheels well and truly fell off last year and there’s a chance Coventry could be another catalyst in waiting.

Win at St Andrew’s, though, and it could be our promotion-defining moment.

Of course, we have to beat Bristol Rovers and Fleetwood first.