Sunderland’s Fairytale Start: The Formula Behind The Black Cats’ Fast Start

After 8 years out of the Premier League, Sunderland finally took the step up to the top-flight, and through ten games, they look to belong. Their momentum from May’s promotion has not faded, and they have been playing with a strong identity, which has been proven with promising results to open the season. The club has made significant upgrades through its spine without abandoning what made it successful last season, keeping the same tactical framework while adding top-flight talent and decision-making in key areas. Early results to start the season reflect the consistency and tactical masterclass that they have. Led to the Black Cats turning tight games into points. With a handful of new arrivals slotted straight into leadership and key roles, whilst also bringing in academy talent, it will have a major impact. Following a draw against an out-of-form Everton, we will be measuring to see if Sunderland are true competitors this season, or if they are just riding the bounce of the fairy tale last season.

How They Got Here?

In Sunderland’s previous season, they provided a statement to English football announcing themselves as a truly exciting and competitive organisation. Although the 23\24 season was messy with a lack of leadership and close to no rhythm on the pitch. It taught the Black Cats exactly what they were lacking, which was a manager with a blueprint. Enter Régis Le Bris, who installed a ruthless game and a structure that was executed to perfection.

The Stadium of Light turned into a fortress again, starting the season with 9 wins from 12 games and staying in promotion contention throughout the whole season. For the first time in many seasons, they looked to be dictating tempo, winning key moments, and looked to have a game style that could compete with the best in England. However, a lapse towards the end of the season, with five straight losses, kept them away from automatic promotion and had them competing to be promoted from fourth on the table.

The play-offs were set to be a true test mentally and tactically, but Sunderland looked to be the real deal, showing true mental and tactical composure. Throughout their whole playoff run, it hinged on key moments late in games. In their semi-final versus Coventry, a tight match which took the whole two legs and even extra time to be decided, however, a 120+2-minute winner from Daniel Ballard denied a penalty shootout and sent Sunderland through to the final, where they anticipated a matchup versus Sheffield United, who were coming off a historic 6- 0 win versus Bristol City.

Wembley was a heavyweight bout in front of 82,000 at Wembley Stadium. Sheffield United landed the first punch, but Sunderland didn’t blink, held their shape, cranked the press, and let Enzo Le Fée set the beat. Eliezer Mayenda’s late equaliser detonated the red-and-white end, Anthony Patterson’s big saves kept the dream alive, and then the knockout: academy winger Tom Watson ripping a stoppage-time winner into the roof of the net. Nerve, detail, and two late daggers promotion seized in pure Sunderland style, leading to their first promotion since the 2016-17 season.

What’s Changed?

With all expectations for Sunderland to be fighting relegation this season, Sunderland have not tiptoed into this campaign and have arrived with a clear identity and a club-wide expectation that they are not just here, but they will compete. There has been a clear adjustment in turning their championship system into one that will compete at the highest level.

Strong Structures and Clear Gameplan

With the re-signing of manager Régis Le Bris, Sunderland have a clear and consistent blueprint that, no matter the situation, leaves them composed and playing stress-free football. Out of possession, they stay compact, and in possession, they look to shift and change angles, playing defensively compact, then also getting dangerous. Rather than previously changing game plans week to week, they are playing with a true identity, which is providing them with results.

A Spine That Holds When the Game Tilts

The middle of the team no longer buckles when momentum swings. An authoritative goalkeeper in Robin Roefs who has been outstanding in net with four clean sheets already; a balanced centre-back pairing deals with first contacts and steps into midfield when needed; midfield mixes both line-breaking speed and creativity with a carrier who can break pressure. Young gun Wilson Isidor, who has been scoring goals when it matters, Dan Ballard’s front-foot defending gives Sunderland territory, and Enzo Le Fée’s tempo and dead-ball quality turn tight minutes into chances.

Key Signings Impacting

Sunderland’s upgrades were about fit, not flash. Despite the loss of star midfielder Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland has taken major leaps in this offseason’s transfer window. Making Enzo Le Fée permanent kept the midfield dynamic whose passing angles and dead-ball delivery turn tidy spells into chances. Record signing Habib Diarra adds the missing gear and carry through pressure and quick vertical releases so the team can escape a high press and flip the field in two touches. At the back, Nordi Mukiele’s recovery speed and 1v1 security let Sunderland hold a higher line on the right, while Omar Alderete’s left foot and aerial strength balance build-up on the left alongside Dan Ballard. Net effect: fewer cheap chances conceded, more repeatable chances created, and a sturdier platform for late impact from the bench.

Late Game Decisions Providing Results

Sunderland’s late-game edge is largely down to Régis Le Bris’ timing and purpose with changes. He scripts the final 15 minutes: hold one or two attacking subs to attack tired full-backs, pair Enzo Le Fée’s fresh set-piece delivery with aerial targets Dan Ballard and Omar Alderete and add direct threat with Wilson Isidor or a high-energy runner. The result has been stoppage-time winners and controlled endings, matches tilt Sunderland’s way not by chaos, but because the bench arrives at a clear plan that changes the game and has already been proven impactful twice this season, versus Brentford and Chelsea, where results were decided in the dying minutes.

Sunderland’s Season So Far

Sunderland’s return to the Premier League has felt alive from day one. The West Ham game set everything off: 3–0, the crowd alive, and a team that looked sure of itself. A week later, Burnley brought everyone back to earth, but the response said a lot. Against Brentford, they dug in, found an equaliser, and then stole it late. That belief has stuck and pronounced the Black Cats as a team with true heart.

At Nottingham Forest, they scored early and controlled the game early without stress. Against Wolves at home, they looked comfortable, moved the ball with purpose, and never really looked unsettled. The standout was Chelsea away. Conceding early, and keeping their shape, taking their moment, and then scoring a late game winner to knock off a top side. That is the kind of result that has shown Sunderland to be considered as not just an early surge, but a team that can match it with the best. Currently sitting in seventh, with a chance last night to move all the way to second with a win against Everton, but could only come back to take one point out of the fixture, and still bringing them up to fourth place in the Premier League.

Key Players

Dan Ballard (CB)
Defensive leader and tone-setter. Ballard has started most league fixtures and already chipped in with a Premier League goal on opening day. His front-foot defending, and first contacts have been central to Sunderland’s clean, controlled spells; the numbers back his presence too, with 7 PL appearances and 1 goal recorded by late October, along with already 4 team clean sheets.

Enzo Le Fée (CM)
Le Fée’s passing shapes how Sunderland attack: quick switches to the wings, and reliable dead-ball delivery. While his headline stats won’t jump off the page every week, his set-piece involvement has been part of key moments, and he has been crucial and game-changing in early-season league matches.

Wilson Isidor (CF)
Isidor has supplied clutch scoring in tight games already on two occasions this season, on the scoresheet in the 3–0 West Ham opener, the 90+ minute winner versus Brentford, the equalisers against Aston Villa and at Stamford Bridge before the stoppage-time winner arrived. That’s 4 league goals already, all in high-leverage moments that flipped results into points. Isidor is looking consistently dangerous every time he is near the ball.

Review – Sunderland 1 – 1 Everton

A blockbuster matchup last night as Sunderland hosted Everton in the Premier League at The Stadium of Light, which had major implications for both teams. With Sunderland’s hot start to the season, they looked to move up to second on the table with a win, whilst the struggling visitors, Everton, were hoping to keep their names out of the relegation conversation. However, after 90, the two teams could not be separated.

Sunderland was looking to become the real deal, and with a home crowd against a struggling Everton, they would come into this fixture extremely confident, coming off a huge win at Stamford Bridge, whilst Everton continues to struggle under David Moyes. They were struggling away from home, with no clean sheets despite having a star goalkeeper in the net. This game was a high-energy battle with Sunderland looking to play structured and organised, but Everton trying to take that away from them, coming out with a physical, high-energy approach. Everton started the game off hot, dominating possession and creating multiple chances. It only took them 15 minutes to strike first, with Iliman Ndiaye’s weaving through defenders to score a remarkable goal. Everton then continued to dominate the first half and had multiple opportunities to take a two-goal lead, yet could not capitalise on their chances. Leaving them only a goal in front at the break. It then took only 40 seconds for Sunderland to equalise through their captain, Granit Xhaka, scoring his first goal for the club. Sunderland then turned the game onto their terms, dominating possession and multiple attempts to find a winner, yet ended up empty-handed. Finishing the game as a 1-1 draw, sending the Black Cats into fourth place and in Champions League contention more than a quarter way through the season. Although a challenging month ahead will truly test the class of Le Bris squad.

Man Of The Match – Granit Xhaka

The Sunderland skipper, Granit Xhaka, controlled the midfield throughout the whole game. Controlling the match both offensively and defensively, having more created chances and tackles than anyone on the field. Xhaka then had the match-saving moment, only 40 seconds after half-time, where he was able to equalise with a one-touch strike from outside the box and took a deflection into the back of the net. He then continued to dominate the game through the midfield and was deservedly the man of the match.

Upcoming Schedule

The next five weeks for Sunderland are set to be a true challenge as they come up against all three top teams. Opening up their run this week at home against table leaders Arsenal, who haven’t lost a game since August. They then, three weeks later, come up against reigning Premier League champions, Liverpool, at Anfield and back this up by playing Manchester City the following week. With a tough run ahead against the toughest opponents, many questions about this Sunderland team will be answered.