By Simon Wright – Follow
me on Twitter @Siwri88
Sunderland’s
task to survive in the Barclays Premier League is a monumental one. The club
has only chalked up four points and a solitary win from their opening 10
fixtures.
The
club has already gone through a change of manager so far this season and the
task is now with Gus Poyet to see if the Wearsiders can win the battle against
relegation.
The
question is can the popular and well-liked Uruguayan save Sunderland from the
dreaded drop?
It
is fair to say that the Black Cats have been in the football headlines for the
majority of the season. Paolo di Canio’s management style certainly didn’t work
in the Premier League and he was gone just five games into the season. He had
completely lost the dressing room and when there is a lack of eye contact, let
alone communication between playing and coaching staff, there is no way back.
Under
di Canio, they were the laughing stock of the top flight. With Poyet (pictured) in charge,
spirits seem to have been lifted, buoyant by their first win of the season when
a cracker from Fabio Borini won the Tyne & Wear derby against Newcastle
United a fortnight ago.
Moments
of madness have cost the new gaffer in his other two games. Sunderland imploded
in the second half at Swansea, losing 4-0 after holding the Swans level at the
interval. Last weekend, Lee Cattermole picked up the seventh red card of his
Premier League club career at Hull, followed by a stupid and dangerous tackle
from team-mate Andrea Dossena on David Meyler that saw the team down to nine
men before half-time at Hull City. They still were only beaten by Carlos
Cuellar’s unfortunate own goal midway through the first half, before the
dismissals.
This
weekend, Sunderland welcome Manchester City to the Stadium of Light and have an
excellent record against their opponents, with three consecutive victories by
one goal to nil. Another win will not only leave Crystal Palace in severe
danger of being cut off by the rest but will take Sunderland closer to other
teams going through severe rocky periods in form, such as Fulham and Norwich
City.
The
players seem to be happier and are showing more spirit in matches, evidently
missing in the dark days of di Canio’s spectacular reign. It is too early to
say whether Gus Poyet can save Sunderland from a slide into the Championship.
It will be tough but recent performances and the derby result against Newcastle
has shown that if they don’t stay afloat, it won’t be without a huge fight.
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