It’s been a long road back to the Premier League for Sunderland , a journey filled with heartbreak, rebuilding, and belief. From the dark days of back-to-back relegations to climbing their way up through the Championship, this comeback feels like redemption. They didn’t just return; they returned with purpose.
Since stepping back into England’s top flight, Sunderland have surprised everyone with their fearless football. Instead of parking the bus or playing safe, they’ve taken games head-on ,pressing high, attacking with pace, and trusting their young core. The results speak for themselves: solid wins, eye-catching performances, and a place in the top half of the table that few saw coming. There’s hunger in this team, and it shows every time they step on to the pitch.
But before starting their campaign, the most crucial period was their summer transfer window , a stretch that defined what this Sunderland side would become.
Inside the exceptional transfer window :
Sunderland didn’t just tweak their squad , they rebuilt it from the ground up. Over the summer, 15 new players walked through the doors at the Stadium of Light, each one handpicked to fit a clear and ambitious blueprint. The summer spending was bold, smart, and full of intent.
The headline move was the record signing of Habib Diarra from Strasbourg for around £30 million, a dynamic young midfielder who perfectly fits their energetic, box-to-box style. They also added Simon Adingra from Brighton for about £21 million, injecting pace and Premier League experience down the flanks. Enzo Le Fée’s loan was made permanent in a deal worth close to £20 million , a no-brainer given how seamlessly he’d slotted into their system. To add leadership and experience, Sunderland secured Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen, bringing grit and composure to the heart of midfield. At the back, Omar Alderete from Getafe and Nordi Mukiele from PSG added defensive solidity and depth.
A total of 130 million was spent by the newly promoted side which was 8th highest in all over the world. But bringing on new players wasn’t the only thing which made Sunderland this good. It was Regis Le Bris , the Sunderland head coach who was behind the idea of bringing in those new signings and now with the new flair added to his side he made a gameplan , a new Sunderland side which could not be underestimated by any team in the premier league.
The Tactical Shift that Made Sunderland This Good :
Régis Le Bris brought a new identity to Sunderland. Gone was the cautious, reactive style often seen in newly promoted teams. Instead, Sunderland play with purpose: high pressing, quick transitions, and intelligent positioning. Every player knows their role, and the system allows creativity without compromising defensive solidity.
Le Bris shifted the tactics to 4-3-3 from 4-2-3-1 which they used in the Championship. This allowed them to have more control on and off the ball too. The build-up play of Sunderland is very patient with players from back to front stretching the play of the opponents and then Sunderland with quick transitions and side changes try to hurt the opponent.
In a 4-3-3 formation , people usually think of a more central gameplay but Le Bris do just the opposite , playing really wide with his players , overloading those stretched spaces and attacking with fast paced players.
Playing this widely opens up a lot of space in the midfield which could backfire for Sunderland but here’s Granit Xhaka for you. The man who dominates the whole play , who dictates every pass and allows others to play freely. The attacking players usually drop deep during their build-up , to drag opponents towards them which create heavy spaces to exploit by Sunderland. Sunderland are also very dangerous on set pieces too.
But this Sunderland side isn’t only about their attack . Defensively too Sunderland looked very solid till now. A well coordinated press , man to man marking and forcing the opposition to play wide help them to shut major attacking threats and as soon as they get the ball the directness in their play and quick passes leads them to creating more chances. Their keeper Robin Roefs has also helped them to be this good defensively by saving a xG of 2.90 goals which is the highest by any premier league goalkeeper this season.
Now, after 9 matches Sunderland are sitting at 4th position in the Premier League table with 17 points ( 5 wins , 2 draws ,2 losses) till now. Sunderland is having the squad with the minimal experience of the Premier League, but the key question remains :
“Can this young, relatively inexperienced Sunderland squad sustain this blistering form and challenge for a European spot, or will the Premier League’s harsh grind eventually catch up with them?”
