Sky Sports EFL pundit Don Goodman has suggested that this should be the season that Sunderland finally get out of League One as long as they do not drop below the standard they have set this term.

The Black Cats are currently into their fourth season at League One level after they have missed out on promotion via the play-offs in two of the last three campaigns.

However, Sunderland are now into a new era following their recent takeover and Lee Johnson’s side have made a strong start to the campaign. That comes with the Black Cats having picked up 28 points from their first 13 matches in the third.

The Black Cats though have suffered their first real dip in form this season during the last few weeks with them losing two of their last four League One matches. That included their surprise 1-0 defeat at home to manager less Charlton Athletic last weekend.

Sunderland’s form has tailed off at crucial periods in the last three seasons and that has been a major reason why the Black Cats have failed to achieve promotion.

 

 

Speaking to FreeSuperTips, Goodman suggested that Sunderland are too big of a club to be in League One and revealed that this should be the campaign where they are able to get out of the third tier.

He said: “I think the squad looks stronger, the manager is the right man and the owner is a genuinely ambitious owner who wants the best for the football club.

“I think it's a club that's in the best place it’s been in some years, but this has to be the season that they get out of that league.

“It's been far too long that a club like Sunderland have been in League One.

“I know we say this a lot about other teams; Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds and Wolves who have been there and shouldn't be.

“They've been there for a reason, but it's unacceptable for clubs like that to be in that position.

“They aren't a million miles away and they have a lot of good players in that squad.

“League One is tough, there's a lot of pedigree and it's a tough league to get out of.

“It's as hard as it's ever been at that level, but I believe Sunderland can do it as long as they don't dip below a certain level.

“They have to be at it from now until the end of the season in every single game and I would be disappointed if they weren't in the top two.”

The verdict

You would have to agree with Goodman’s assessment of Sunderland’s situation here with the Black Cats having a squad that should be capable of going the distance in the race for automatic promotion from League One this season.

The Black Cats do seem to be in the best place that they have been in for a long time and there is positivity around the club and a connection re-establishing between the players, the owners and the supporters.

That was always going to be crucial to create once again if the club are going to be able to head back in the right direction.

It will be vital that the Black Cats try and get back on track for Sunderland after their defeat against Charlton and that will go a long way to determining whether they will be able to achieve promotion this season.