How many points can Sunderland target from their next three games?
03/27/2025 02:00 AM
As the Lads prepare to resume their league campaign against Millwall with trips to West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City to follow, what would be a good return?
Gav says…
For me, this is a slightly nuanced topic of conversation as it ultimately depends on how Régis Le Bris is choosing to handle the remaining games up until the playoffs start.
I think most people are expecting a mini pre-season of sorts, whereby rest and rotation are prioritised over results to ensure that we're completely ready for three gruelling games, but we still haven't had mathematical confirmation that we definitely have a playoff spot, so just how much he's prepared to take his foot off the pedal remains to be seen.
All three of our upcoming opponents will be hoping they can make a late surge towards the top six, and that makes them dangerous as they'll be hungry to grab as many points as they can by any means possible. They'll be tough games and if we've got one eye on the playoffs, that might mean we don't play at full pelt.
I think at least four points would be a decent return at this stage.
Ewan Bowman says…
For me, it's important that we get back on track after the disappointment of the Coventry game, and gain some momentum ahead of the playoffs.
Third is still very much achievable — especially with the pressure that the top three will be under as the league campaign comes to an end — but we can't afford to let the league phase of the season peter out, so we need to win games and go into the playoffs full of confidence.
All three games will be tough and all of the teams can say they're in the playoff race and will come at us with our place in the end-of-season shootout pretty much guaranteed.
We've had an international break with no new injury concerns, so I want to see the Lads attack the last of these games with a purpose and a willingness to win.
For me, five points would represent a decent return.
Anything more will be great but one thing's for certain: we can't afford to repeat the same level of performance that we showed against Coventry.
John Wilson says…
Trying to predict a Sunderland result is almost impossible!
If we could be asked for a prediction after the first five minutes of a match so that at first we could gauge which version of Sunderland has turned up, that might be slightly easier!
If we perform the way we have recently, we'll do well to pick up a couple of points, but let us assume the players have come back refreshed and have reset their ambitions and confidence, and there's no reason it can't be seven or nine points.
The game against Millwall this Saturday is key.
It'll show us the attitude of the team and the setup from the backroom staff, and I expect to get three points — although expecting Sunderland to win recently has been folly!
If we can beat Alex Neil and his Lions, it'll set us up nicely for the other two games in the sequence. Two draws wouldn't be a disaster but a win — perhaps against Norwich — and a draw against Tony Mowbray's Baggies would be very promising and welcome.
The remaining eight games are all about generating momentum for a potential playoff campaign and trying to get the squad match fit and ready to do their bit.
Seven points would be great.
Malc Dugdale says…
I want a minimum of seven — better than two points per game.
We've had a couple of dips this season and we need to really kick on from here.
Although two of the games are away from home, we simply have to rally off the back of the most recent performances if we want to be anything more than an also-ran in the playoffs.
We deserve to be fourth in the league based on the points gained during the season so far, and it would be a huge shame not to get as much as we can from this chance to have a crack at the Premier League.
If they give it their all and lose, fair play, but on our day we're good enough to beat anyone, so let's get a head of steam up from here.
