Recent changes by David Moyes have seen Sunderland get back on track for their signature post-Christmas run to avoid relegation.
Sunderland had recorded three victories in the Premier League since the beginning of November and had hoped for another good result when they traveled to Swansea City last weekend. Both teams are struggling at the moment.
Both are currently inside the relegation zone and desperately need points. Ultimately, Swansea recorded an easy 3-0 victory against the Black Cats and left the visitors at the bottom of the table. However, regardless, David Moyes’ team has improved immensely in the last 30 days.
If that same level can be retained until the end of the season, then the club will stay in the league against all odds once again. Looking back at Sunderland’s last four Premier League seasons, there are striking similarities between them all.
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In most cases the team starts the season badly, but with amazing late pushes, they narrowly avoided relegation each time. In fact, Sunderland finished with precisely 38 or 39 points in each of those four seasons.
If only the results during the second half of the season were counted, Sunderland would be among the top eight teams in the league. It’s almost as if nature awakening from its deep winter slumber is a signal for the Black Cats to rise up to the challenge.
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Last season, from March 1 until the end of the campaign, Sunderland were incredibly defeated only once in eleven matches. They finished the season with an undefeated series that lasted six games. That included a victory against Chelsea and a draw against Arsenal.
Another amazing late push elevated them from 19th position, where they were for much of the season, to 17th position. And all of that at the expense of their biggest rival, Newcastle United, who were relegated to the Championship.
There was a similar late push in the 2014-15 season also. Back then, Sunderland secured 17th place after five matches without defeat at the end of the April and beginning of March. Of course, winter is only just coming this year, so it is probably too early to predict a similar scenario this season.
Although, on the other hand, looking at Sunderland’s recent form and results, perhaps the club are set to avoid relegation once again. Maybe even easier this season. David Moyes introduced some tactical changes during the last month that clearly made an improvement to the team.
First of all, he introduced a more offensive playing system. Both Jermain Defoe and Victor Anichebe were in the starting lineup together instead of only one of them. A new formation and fresh playing style brought Sunderland three victories and seven goals in the last five Premier League games.
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In the batch of five games prior, Sunderland had won only a point and scored just two goals. Sunderland were defeated by both Swansea and Liverpool in their last five games. However, even in those matches, they had a solid performance throughout the first half.
If Moyes can somehow manage to keep his players performing intensely for the entirety of every match, then Sunderland is on their way to securing their Premier League status earlier than expected this season.