Sunderland are ready for Premier League football again, not many can deny them that.
More than 40,000 people have been packing into the Stadium of Light every week this season to see Regis Le Bris’ side light up the Championship.
Their young squad has been undoubtedly the most exciting to watch in the league so far, sending them five points clear of second place Burnley.
A 2-0 win against Oxford at the weekend was their most convincing win of the 2024/25 season so far and the biggest warning to their rivals that they are serious promotion contenders.
It has been a period of turmoil for the Black Cats after dropping out of the Premier League in 2017, followed by immediate relegation to the third tier.
They only returned to the Championship in 2022 and finished a lowly 16th last season.
There was turmoil in the dugout too with Tony Mowbray starting the season, before being replaced by Michael Beale in December. He was then sacked himself just two months later after four wins in 12.
Mike Dodds took interim charge for the remainder of the season with 26-year-old owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus taking his time picking the right man.
Le Bris was hired from Lorient and it has proved to be a shrewd signing.
“I think that man deserves huge credit because everything is so exciting now,” Sunderland legend Niall Quinn told talkSPORT.
“These players have come together and they’re playing in a carefree manner and it’s as if he’s brought a new identity to the team in such a small space of time.
“They’re really comfortable in a Sunderland jersey. To play in Sunderland in an expectant crowd and particularly with the last few years not quite getting there is not easy.”
What has made this Sunderland team so exciting is their spine of young talent. The average age of their team this season has been 23.1, with Sheffield United the next nearest on 24.
Wonderkid Chris Rigg has been chased by the likes of Manchester United, while Jude Bellingham’s younger brother Jobe is developing into a serious talent.
On Bellingham, talkSPORT’s Adrian Clarke said: “We are definitely seeing him mature this season under Regis LeBris. Before this season, no one really knew what to do with Jobe Bellingham, was he a striker? Is he a deep-lying midfielder? A box-to-box guy? What is he?
“I get your point about his body language and he has a languid style, but he’s a player of great talent. There’s no doubt about that.
“The goal he scored at the weekend is a goal he can score over and over again. He made that run from midfielder and powered a beautiful header in.
“I think he can do that, Dele Alli-style, ghosting in from that box-to-box role. He’s starting to fulfil his obvious potential.”
Sunderland hero Micky Gray admitted he was not expecting his old team to be so good this season.
He thinks promotion can be achievable this season.
Gray told talkSPORT: “It’s incredible. I have to say, I wasn’t expecting it. When you keep losing your best players or one of your best players, Jack Clarke lost to Ipswich, nobody expected them to change it around, but the young lads that they’ve got at the moment are producing every single week.
“Chris Rigg and Bellingham in midfield have been absolutely outstanding.
“The big thing that they’ve got, they’ve got a five-point gap at the top of the table at the moment.
“Everybody’s expecting Burnley and Leeds United and maybe Sheffield United to kind of cruise through in the second half of the season, but if they keep winning, Sunderland will give themselves every chance, they’ve been absolutely brilliant.”
There are still 34 games left to go in the season, but if they can keep it going we may be seeing a Tyne-Wear derby back in the Premier League soon.
Quinn believes proper north east football fans will want to see Sunderland back in the top flight.
He added: “It was an incredible place to be when all three sides [Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland] were there. I suppose that the type of fan who just can’t abide either of the other clubs doesn’t want to see that, but the football people up there would love to see it.
“And who knows, it might come back one day, but I just know it would be better for the whole region if there were three games.”
Sunderland are next in Championship action against QPR on Saturday.
