Journalist Pete O’Rourke insists that Sunderland’s board believe they are good enough to win League One this season and return to the Championship.
The Black Cats have been in good form this season and are currently second in the table, just one point behind leaders Rotherham.
What’s the latest with Sunderland?
The club have been going really well under the management of Lee Johnson.
They are currently on a seven-game unbeaten run and appear primed to make a real push for promotion as the season continues.
Indeed, since losing 3-0 to Sheffield Wednesday on November 2nd, Sunderland are unbeaten in the league, beating Ipswich Town, Cambridge United, Morecambe, Plymouth Argyle and Doncaster Rovers, while drawing with Shrewsbury Town, Oxford United, and Ipswich.
It’s been an impressive run of form but it is a tight race for automatic promotion, with Rotherham a point clear at the top of the league and Wigan Athletic just one point further back in third. In addition to those, both Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers have over 40 points.
Sunderland have not been playing Championship football since the 2017/18 season, when they finished rock-bottom the season after dropping out of the Premier League.
They have repeatedly gone close to promotion, finishing fifth in 2018/19, eighth in 2019/20, and fourth in 2020/21.
But O’Rourke has now revealed that Sunderland’s board believe they can win the title this term, and that there isn't likely to be all that much investment in January.
What did he say?
Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: “They think the squad is good enough to go and win League One, to get promotion back to the Championship.”
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Can Sunderland win the title?
It certainly looks like it.
The club have been in great form, they aren’t losing games, and they have placed themselves in a position from where they can build.
Rotherham lost at the weekend and there will be some hope at Sunderland that points continue to be dropped as they look to seal a return to the Championship.
Johnson has done well with the squad that he has and there are some truly exceptional players for the level they are at within the pool; Ross Stewart has been particularly impressive, scoring 11 goals in the third-tier thus far this season.
If his form continues, Sunderland could be looking at a return to the Championship.