Sitting in seventh place and only one defeat so far, not many at the start of the season had Sunderland to be the best performing promoted side after five games.

Sunderland's context coming into the Premier League was not the best. They limped into the play-offs with five defeats and just one goal in the final six games of the regular Championship season.

They then required late goals against Coventry and Sheffield United in those play-off triumphs, with some good fortune needed in their Wembley win over the Blades.

Add in losing Jobe Bellingham and play-off hero Tom Watson in the transfer market, and you would have been forgiven for putting the Black Cats in your bottom three for Premier League predictions, perhaps even in 20th place. But then again, you are now starting to feel silly.

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