Sunderland have lost six of their nine Premier League games
By
Chris McKenna
BBC Sport journalist
- Published46 minutes ago
WhenSunderlandwere handed a trip to the San Siro to face AC Milan in the Europa League, they must have been relishing the chance to rub shoulders with such heavyweights.
Yet by the time they travel to Italy to take on the Serie A giants on 10 December, they may be more concerned about the Premier League match againstNottingham Forestthat comes just three days later.
That is because last season's surprise package following promotion are now one of this campaign's strugglers.
They may be mixing it with illustrious big guns in Europe, but they are staring down the barrel of a relegation fight on the domestic front.
Their3-1 defeat by Coventry Cityon Saturday has keptSunderlandrock bottom of the table after nine games.
Their situation could worsen significantly very soon, too.
Before they head to Milan, they face a daunting league programme ofChelsea(home),Aston Villa(away),Tottenham(home),Liverpool(away) and local rivalsNewcastle(away), with home European games against Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb and Poland's Jagiellonia Bialystok thrown into the mix.
If they fail to cause some upsets in that run and others towards the bottom of the table pick up points, the Black Cats could be dangerously adrift before their dream trip to Milan.
That is why their game against fellow slow starters Forest could turn out to be more important than the San Siro date.
The last timeSunderlandwon a Premier League game was againstFulham on 30 August- two days after the Europa League league phase draw, and a visit to Milan, was confirmed.
While celebrating that victory and scouring for flights and hotels for their European adventure, surelySunderlandfans did not expect they would be heading into November having not won since in the league.
Including an opening-weekend defeat byIpswich, they have suffered six defeats with two draws.
"Very disappointed," said captain Granit Xhaka following theCoventryloss.
"We are not doing the things that we have been speaking about; we are not doing the things that we are doing in training. Again, so many mistakes. We have no chance to win any games like this."
European wins, but at a cost?
Regis le Bris - post-match interview - Coventry City vs Sunderland
Yet in Europe, all is well for the Black Cats.
They are ninth in that table, with only goal difference keeping them out of the top eight and a passage directly to the last-16 stage. They have two wins and a draw from their three games.
And in the Carabao Cup, a3-2 win over Brentford in midweekhas set up a quarter-final against fellow league strugglersCrystal Palace.
Yet they have picked up just a point in their three league games that have followed European outings this season, while this defeat againstCoventrycame on the back of the midweek victory over the Bees in the EFL Cup.
"They [the players] own the reality of the club, this dynamic, we are growing fast," saidSunderlandboss Regis le Bris. "We are exposed this season with this busy schedule. It's really demanding.
"Is it unexpected? I don't think so. Many clubs last year experienced exactly the same situation. First year in Europe, you know you will have on average 10 less points. It's our reality.
"Does it mean we are happy? Absolutely not. We have to get better. We have to play better than we did in the first half. It's hard to be not able to play our football with confidence, with the ability to be ourselves."
'It's not a question of luck'
The obvious difference this season so far forSunderlandis their leaky defence.
Last term, they had the fourth meanest back line in the division, with only championsArsenal,Manchester CityandBrightonconceding fewer goals.
So far this term, onlyIpswich TownandCrystal Palacehave let in more thanSunderland.
After nine games last term,Sunderlandhad won five, drawn two and lost two with just seven goals conceded.
Now they have already had 17 goals against them in nine matches. It took 15 games to get to that number last season.
In Europe, they have conceded just two goals in three games.
They have made seven errors which have led to goals conceded, withCoventry's opening two on Saturday down to a failure to deal with a cross and then Luke O'Nien losing possession to Taiwo Awoniyi in the build-up to the second.
"Bad result," Le Bris told BBC's Match of the Day.
"Ups and downs, I think, is the summary of this game and the season so far. We can play good football, and create some good chances, but we also made many unforced errors.
"At this level, especially in the Premier League, the opponent can seize every single opportunity, and [Coventry] did that. It's not a question of luck, it's a question of us."
'We can show our character'
While their defensive errors are clear,Sunderland's efficiency in front of goal may also be catching up with them.
Only relegatedBurnley and Wolves had a lower xG difference than Le Bris' side last season.Only three teams -Crystal Palace, Burnley and Wolves - scored fewer than their 42 goals as well, asSunderlandfinished with a negative goal difference.
This season they have seven goals in nine, with only second-bottom Forest managing fewer with six.
Sunderlandhave also missed defender Dan Ballard at the back as he has been out with a hamstring injury since September's international break.
If there are positives to look at, they have faced championsArsenal, title challengersManchester Cityand in-formBrightonalready, while earning spirited draws againstBrentfordandLeeds.
But that may be clutching at straws while bottom of the table.
Qualifying for Europe again seems like a distant dream at the moment.
"Of course, we are now bottom of the league, but in football you need to think positive," added Xhaka.
"You need to show courage even if you make mistakes when you play, but that's not the case at the moment.
"It's a difficult position where we are. But a situation where we can show our character, show our desire together to come out from here."
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