Sunderland's seventh-place finish in the 2025-26 Premier League season was a remarkable achievement, especially considering they were tipped for relegation by many. The Black Cats were promoted from the Championship through the play-offs in May 2025 and ended the campaign in seventh to qualify for Europe for the first time since 1973. BBC Football reports that Sunderland's underlying statistics from last season suggest repeating their success might not be so simple.
Only Man City and Aston Villa overperformed their xG numbers by more than the Black Cats, who scored three more goals and conceded six fewer than expected given the number and quality of shots taken. Sunderland were without six players during the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January, which significantly affected their performances. However, once all those players returned, Sunderland's underlying numbers improved throughout the rest of the season.
With no Africa Cup of Nations this season, the Black Cats may not suffer such a drop in performance. Sunderland will be playing in Europe this season for the first time in 53 years, with at least eight games in the Europa League on top of their usual domestic commitments.