Premier League 2026-27 preview No 19: Sunderland
Quick summary
The Guardian previews Sunderland ahead of the 2026-27 Premier League season, examining the club's prospects, squad, and key storylines.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceSunderland fans hope Régis Le Bris and his talented squad can continue to surprise the pundits and Opta
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 14th (NB: this is not necessarily Louise Taylor’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 7th
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Source attribution: this article content is based on the linked publisher feed/source. Chance adds independent soccer context, impact analysis, entity links, and related news.
What happened
This is the 19th installment in The Guardian's club-by-club Premier League 2026-27 preview series, focusing on Sunderland. The preview assesses the promoted club's preparations for top-flight football, likely covering squad depth, managerial approach, key signings, and realistic expectations for the season. The piece is positioned within a broader pre-season preview run-up to the new campaign.
Chance analysis
Sunderland's return to the Premier League places them among the promoted clubs facing the well-documented second-season survival challenge. Previews of this kind typically set the benchmark for how neutrals should view a club's campaign — identifying the tactical identity under the manager, which summer recruits are expected to make an immediate impact, and where the squad is thin. For Sunderland, the central question is whether they have assembled enough Premier League-ready quality to avoid a rapid yo-yo back to the Championship, and which players will carry the creative and defensive load.
No direct impact on a specific upcoming match; sets baseline expectations for Sunderland's 2026-27 Premier League campaign.