Promotion is on for Sunderland this season, and it's now time to kick into a higher gear

Yesterday at 01:00 AM

Having emerged from the hectic Christmas period in an encouraging league position, we've got a superb chance to push for top flight football towards the back end of the season, writes Phil West

It's perhaps a mark of the raised standards and greater expectations at Sunderland nowadays that as we sit in a very encouraging fourth position, having racked up a points total that's only six short of last season's dismal fifty six, and established ourselves as genuine candidates for automatic promotion, there's a temptation to suggest that it could and should've been even more promising.

An exceptionally open and competitive Championship campaign has thrown up a multitude of surprises so far, and it's fair to say that we've occasionally seen points slip from our grasp as a result of naivety, slack defending or a lack of ruthlessness in order to close out games.

However, as we enter 2025 a mere three points behind Leeds United (themselves caught cold by a wholly unexpected Hull City comeback on Saturday), one thing is certain: the dream is alive; the goal is achievable, and Sunderland have the ability to secure a place in the top flight, eight years since sliding through the trapdoor and into a period of unprecedented upheaval in utter disgrace.

Two gutsy home victories- the first of which came on the back of a hugely impressive display against Sheffield United, have eased the frustrations of Stoke and Blackburn, and with the league's top four beginning to break away from the chasing pack, the Lads and head coach Régis Le Bris are certainly upholding their end of the bargain.

Suffice it to say, it's setting up the back end of the season beautifully and giving everyone hope that after the excitement and eventual near-miss of 2022/2023 and the disappointment of 2023/2024, an altogether more satisfying ending may be reached when this campaign is done and dusted.

The hectic Christmas period always tests a team's mettle and staying power, but with several of the Lads coming to the party big time, not least the impressive Dan Neil and the electric Wilson Isidor, it's hard to shake the feeling that this promising young team is beginning to mature at the kind of rate on which a top two tilt can be constructed.

Although the temptation to lean into the 'underdog' angle when the qualities of Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United (immense squad depth, managers who've been there and done it before, the financial muscle provided by parachute payments, and so on) are considered may be strong, I believe that would be a mistake.

The table doesn't lie and we certainly haven't arrived at this stage of the season in such a promising position by mistake.

Instead, we've done it through hard work, by picking up some exceptional results at home and away, and by tapping into a team spirit that's remained unshakable even through the dips in form and the last-gasp disappointments.

Simply put, Sunderland AFC should never be considered a 'plucky underdog' at this level, and with the cat firmly out of the bag when the potential and talent within the ranks is considered, any inferiority complex that developed during the League One years needs to be cast aside for good.

This isn't the same as the 'divine right to promotion' angle that's sometimes peddled by rival fans; instead, it's about continuing to deliver results, to show exactly what we're about, and ensuring that we don't let a glorious opportunity pass us by.

It's absolutely imperative that everyone- from those in boardroom to the players- holds their nerve and doesn't allow the exciting if somewhat daunting prospect of delivering top flight football to Wearside overwhelm them.

Any January transfer business must be completed with the target of a top two finish in mind, because this is a hell of an opportunity to take the next step and if we miss the boat this season, the summer could be one of real turbulence as many of our top prospects would surely be picked off, thereby putting us at the start of yet another rebuild.

Fortunately, we've now got a chance to take stock before getting back down to business.

The pause in league action before away trips to Paul Warne's gritty Derby and Scott Parker's 'don't-lose-at-all-costs' Burnley ought to be a godsend for Le Bris and his squad, with everyone having had to work extremely hard in recent weeks to keep pace at the summit of the league.

Mass rotation will doubtless be the order of the day in the FA Cup, and the lads who've played a major role in recent league fixtures can hopefully recharge their batteries ahead of the next swing of Championship fixtures- augmented by our injured players continuing to make positive progress towards first team football.

These players have done us proud so far, and with twenty games remaining, there's every chance that the 'Class of 2025' could be the Sunderland team that finally delivers what we all crave, and what an achievement it would be.