Category: Sunderland

Find out the very latest news from Sunderland, including the most up-to-date analysis of the team. Join the discussion with other Sunderland fans.

Premier League dominates highest earning club rankings but fails to take top spot

Vincent Van Genechten

It’s the time of the year for the 2016 Deloitte Football Money League and again Real Madrid lead the way, despite the Premier League clubs dominating the top 30, as reported by Goal. The Football Money League details the 2014/15 season and measures a club’s earnings from matchday revenue, broadcast rights and commercial sources, ranking them on that basis. Spanish giants Real Madrid retained their first place for the 11th year in a row, having generated £439 million last season (up from £418m). They are followed by La Liga rivals FC…

Read More

Tottenham vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland will be looking to continue their excellent start to 2016 when they face a Tottenham side which is hoping to recover from only their third league defeat of the campaign. More than enough chances were created, but Tottenham failed to make them pay and eventually became the latest in a long line of teams to come unstuck at the hands of Leicester City on Wednesday evening. The decisive goal came from a rare piece of poor defending as Robert Huth was given the freedom of their penalty area to…

Read More

Swansea vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

The Liberty Stadium sees a vital encounter on Wednesday between two sides battling the threat of relegation as Swansea City look for their second straight home win at the expense of Sunderland. It has been a turbulent start to 2016 for Swansea, who announced last week that Alan Curtis will stay in charge of the team for the remainder of the season. That was after they had lost a tight game at Manchester United, but they then went on to suffer the ignominy of going out of the FA Cup to…

Read More

Sunderland vs Aston Villa – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Anything less than a win would be a major disappointment for both Sunderland and Aston Villa as the Premier League’s bottom two meet in a vital encounter in the battle for survival. Five straight defeats have extinguished Sam Allardyce’s good start as Sunderland boss, and have seen them lose serious ground on those above them. The gap to safety now stands at some seven points, so they simply must put a run of results together quickly if they wish to avoid being cut adrift like their opponents. A lot will…

Read More

Sunderland vs Liverpool – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland will be determined to avoid a sixth consecutive defeat when they entertain a Liverpool side which has not won any of its last three away matches in all competitions. It seems as if the January transfer window cannot come any sooner for Sam Allardyce as he continues to give thinly veiled hints that his defensive options are in need of bolstering, and their lack of cohesion was again clear to see at Manchester City on Boxing Day. While they were undone by some excellent attacking play, the Black Cats…

Read More

Man City vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

After more disappointment on their travels, Manchester City will look to get themselves back on track with victory at home to Sunderland, who are now five points adrift of safety following three straight defeats. The hosts have not won on the road in the league since a stoppage time goal gave them the honours at Crystal Palace back in mid-September, and Yaya Toure’s sublime finish at Arsenal on Monday was just their second away goal since then. By and large, results have been a whole lot better at the Etihad…

Read More

Chelsea vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Stamford Bridge is the venue for what could be seen as an incredibly unlikely relegation six-pointer, as after the headline news of boss Jose Mourinho being sacked, Chelsea aim to avoid a 10th league defeat of the campaign against Sunderland, who begin a daunting trio of festive fixtures. The patience that has been shown towards Mourinho finally reached its end on Thursday as the most successful manager in the Blues’ history was shown the door, at a time when the abysmal defence of their Premier League title showed no sign of coming to an immediate…

Read More

Sunderland vs Watford – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Currently sitting pretty in the top half, Watford will be aiming to collect their third consecutive victory as they take on Sunderland for the first time in a league match for over a decade. After picking up back to back themselves, Sunderland put in another strong performance last time out at Arsenal and carved out a number of chances, but eventually succumbed to a 3-1 defeat which was much closer than the scoreline suggests. Manager Sam Allardyce was left to rue costly misses from Fabio Borini and Patrick van Aanholt…

Read More

Arsenal vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Injury-ravaged Arsenal will be desperate to claim their first Premier League victory in four matches when they host a Sunderland side which is outside the bottom three having won their last two. Already robbed of the services of a number of first-team players, two more were forced off for Arsenal last weekend at Norwich City in the shape of Laurent Koscielny and Alexis Sanchez. The sheer volume of setbacks is seriously threatening to undermine their attempts to win a first league title for 12 years, and manager Arsene Wenger is finding his squad…

Read More

Sunderland vs Stoke – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland will be looking to achieve back to back wins for the first time this season, but face a tough test as they take on a Stoke City team that has not conceded a goal on the road since September 12. After being ruthlessly exposed in numerous outings this season, the Black Cats delivered a terrific defensive display on Monday to help them earn three massively valuable points away to Crystal Palace. They had to soak up a lot of pressure over the piece, but the back three were always…

Read More

Crystal Palace vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland will be hoping to close the gap between themselves and the safety line when they make the tricky trip to South London on Monday evening to take on Crystal Palace. The home side ended a mini dip in form last time out by becoming the first team to condemn new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp to defeat, thanks to the constant aerial threat that central defender Scott Dann poses from set-pieces. The 28-year-old also had to defend astutely at the other end of the field, as he helped notch his…

Read More

Sunderland vs Southampton – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland will be determined to hit back from their hefty defeat at Everton last time out, but face another tough test as they come up against an upwardly mobile Southampton side. To their credit, the Black Cats always looked a threat going forward at Goodison Park, hitting the frame of the goal twice early on and then retrieving a two-goal deficit, but despite fielding three centre-backs and holding midfielders they were much too open at the back and were eventually punished ruthlessly. Once they fell behind again at 3-2 they folded in…

Read More

Everton vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland will be hoping to take the confidence gained from another Tyne-Wear derby success into their trip to Goodison Park, where they have got the better of Everton in each of the last two seasons. The home side will be intent on avoiding a third straight league defeat, having produced a poor showing in a comprehensive reverse against Manchester United and then conceded two sloppy goals in quick succession to ensure they came away with nothing from high-flying Arsenal. In midweek they lacked vibrancy again, but were able to eventually see…

Read More

Sunderland vs Newcastle – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland have a sensational record over arch rivals Newcastle United in recent seasons, and are desperately in need of another Wear-Tyne derby victory in Sam Allardyce’s first home match in charge. No matter who the manager has been, Sunderland have always had the better of this fixture home and away over the last three years, winning the last five. Here, Allardyce has the chance to extend one of football’s great ongoing coincidences, as each of his three predecessors have won their second game in charge of the Black Cats, all…

Read More

West Brom vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sam Allardyce begins his attempts to turn around Sunderland’s fortunes as he takes his new side to West Bromwich Albion, who have picked up just one point from a possible 12 at home so far this season. The hosts might come into this game feeling more wary than they perhaps would have done a couple of weeks ago, with Sunderland surely set to raise their game a little here under a new manager. The Baggies are under a little pressure to return to form having lost their last two games,…

Read More

Sunderland vs West Ham – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

West Ham United will be aiming to make it four wins out of four away from home when they travel to Wearside on Saturday to face beleaguered Sunderland, who lie miserably at the bottom of the table. The hosts did at least put in a great deal from their visit to Manchester United last weekend, but could not come close to matching the quality of opponents who moved to the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 success which did not even require them to reach top gear. The situation…

Read More

Man Utd vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Manchester United will be intent on picking up their third consecutive Premier League win against a Sunderland side that sits bottom of the table with the future of Head Coach Dick Advocaat in renewed doubt. The Red Devils come in Saturday in second place and just the two points behind their city rivals, and boss Louis van Gaal is making noises that his side can challenge for the title. If they can continue to grind out positive results, that may well be possible, but performances are still unconvincing and the sort of attacking…

Read More

Bournemouth vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Bournemouth will be hoping that it will be third time lucky in their attempts to notch their first home Premier League win as they come up against a Sunderland side that sits 19th the in table with only two points from a possible 15. After a decent opening to the campaign, the Cherries dipped below the required standard as they were well beaten by fellow promoted club Norwich City last time out in a game that looked close on paper. They rarely gained a significant foothold in the encounter, and were forced on to…

Read More

Sunderland vs Tottenham – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

There will be a great deal of anxiety at the Stadium of Light on Sunday as slow starting duo Sunderland and Tottenham both target their first Premier League win of the season. Being without a victory after four games of a new term is a situation that the hosts are becoming increasingly used to, and they will be wary of the possibility of this latest sluggish opening sequence leading to another tooth and nail battle to avoid relegation. There is at least more of a goal threat this time around, with the Black Cats having found…

Read More

Worst Premier League signings XI: Cursed defender lines up alongside £36m Man United striker

Jordan Harris

The closure of the transfer window means that every manager in the Premier League has now got to press on with the squad at his disposal knowing that until January, he can make no changes and no additions. Perhaps it is the pressure of whether to stick or twist with the squad that has forced some managers to make some pretty dreadful and uninspiring signings in the hope that they can help their new club achieve their aspirations. Here is the XI we believe will not be able to deliver…

Read More

10 players Premier League clubs could still sign after transfer deadline day: Arsenal could make a signing after all

Steve Green

The transfer window may be closed now, but that doesn’t mean the transfer activity will end there. A number of top players are currently without clubs, and as such can move on free transfers outside of the window. And for clubs in need, there are still some very viable options out there, and below we’re bringing you the ten best players that could still stun the Premier League with a late move. 10. Ron Vlaar Having left Aston Villa at the end of last season, the Dutch international then confirmed…

Read More

Done deal: Sunderland sign Liverpool flop Fabio Borini in deal potentially worth £10m

Jordan Harris

Sunderland have confirmed on their official website that they have completed the signing of former Liverpool striker Fabio Borini. The 24-year-old has signed a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light, and will wear the number nine shirt for the Black Cats (via official website). BBC Sport reported earlier in the day that Dick Advocaat’s side had agreed a fee with the Reds for the forward, which could see the Anfield outfit pocket as much as £10m. The deal brings to an end a very difficult chapter of the Italian’s…

Read More

Aston Villa vs Sunderland – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Sunderland will be looking to build on their first point of the new season by collecting victory when they travel to Aston Villa for a fixture which has hardly been full of goals in recent times. Claiming a win at Bournemouth on opening day was the ideal start for Villa, but they have been edged out twice since then in two displays which suggested that the team is very much a work in progress. They lacked creativity and had few chances in the home loss to Manchester United, while it…

Read More

Arsenal overtake Chelsea to become London’s only £1bn club

Steve Green

Arsenal fans are already questioning Arsene Wenger’s inactivity in the transfer window so far, and those questions are about to get that much louder after learning that the club is the capital city’s only side worth £1billion. A new study by Dr Tom Markham (via Sporting Intelligence) has revealed that The Gunners are the country’s only team worth over £1billion, which draws their city rivals Chelsea and Tottenham. #mufc and #afc the only PL clubs worth more than £1bn (By @TMfootyfinance http://t.co/Y8CfasfaFR pic.twitter.com/mDVappKsVJ — sportingintelligence (@sportingintel) August 21, 2015 The…

Read More

Sunderland vs Swansea – Premier League preview and team news

Stephen Donovan

Two sides which have experienced contrasting fortunes in the opening two weeks of the new Premier League season meet on Wearside as struggling Sunderland take on soaring Swansea City. The Black Cats have been so woeful in defeats to Leicester City and Norwich City that Head Coach Dick Advocaat called an emergency meeting with his players on Sunday, evidently concerned that the team have allowed a pre-season malaise to continue into their competitive outings. The Dutchman is very aware that if it carries on for much longer, the club would be…

Read More