Sunderland are making their Championship rivals sit up and take notice

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Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images

As Christmas approaches, Sunderland's form is turning heads – can the Lads sustain their promotion push?



There's no doubting that Sunderland have exceeded expectations so far this season.

Back in the summer, if you'd told me we'd be two points off an automatic promotion spot going into Christmas, I'd have asked for your dealer's number! Yet, here we are, and in some ways, being fourth might even feel disappointing, given that we briefly topped the table before a run of draws.

The week prior to this one was solid overall.

Seven points, our unbeaten home record kept intact, and we're nicely set up for a busy festive period. Having one or two of our injured players back in the squad would be a welcome boost, but beggars can't be choosers. Every team is grappling with injuries and suspensions, so we can't grumble too much.

I caught Norwich City's manager's press conference on Wednesday (a bit odd to hold one three days before a game, isn't it?), and he spoke glowingly about Sunderland.

While he didn't say it outright, it was also clear that Norwich are trying to emulate us — buying and developing young players while maintaining a clear on-pitch identity. It's flattering to hear, just as it was when Swansea's manager praised us after Saturday's win; however, such praise also brings caution.

Norwich have one of the strongest squads in the division, but they're unlikely to come to the Stadium of Light looking to go toe-to-toe with us. Recent struggles against teams employing a more defensive approach mean we'll need to be less predictable to secure three points.

Take the draw against West Brom, for instance.

We could've played all night and not scored because we lacked answers to their eleven-man defensive wall. Without Tommy Watson and Romaine Mundle — players who thrive on taking responsibility and shooting from range — others need to step up.

Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images

Thankfully, some players are finding form at the right time.

Dan Neil, by his standards, has had a below-par season, but his recent performances have been excellent and his goal in South Wales last weekend showcased his resurgence. As captain, Dan stepping up in moments like that is vital, and we need to see it more often.

Jobe Bellingham has also had a good spell and might even be our top performer this season. However, he hasn't scored enough goals. His well-timed run and finish last weekend could set him on a scoring streak — he's certainly capable of getting goals from various situations.

I could go on about other players and ways to be more threatening, but the message is clear: champions find ways to overcome adversity and recent results have shown we're capable of that.

From the Swansea comeback to gritty goals against Stoke and Bristol City, this team proves that work rate and mentality can often triumph over perfection.

Photo by Athena Pictures/Getty Images

As much as I'd love us to breeze through games and dismantle opponents with ease, that's not who we are.

Someone is due a thrashing from Sunderland — it's coming — but we'll learn far more about our character from hard-fought wins like those at Luton and Swansea than from comfortable victories like the 2-0 over Oxford or the 4-0 against Sheffield Wednesday.

Other managers have noticed too. Johannes Hoff Thorup called us 'the best transition side in the league', while Luke Williams said, "That's what a top side looks like in the Championship" after our latest win.

This isn't a fluke. We're well into the season and we deserve to be where we are. Now, we need to prove that all the praise is justified by navigating a tough run of fixtures against teams vying for promotion alongside us.

Let's relish it.



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