Sunderland reach 40-point mark - but what next?published at 12:47 GMT
12:47 GMT
Sunderland's away win over Leeds on Tuesday night saw them reach the magic 40-point mark.
It is the tally of points teams aim for as it usually means a club is all but safe, with only three teams to have been relegated with 40 points or more in the 20-team Premier League era.
So now the Black Cats have already reached that points haul at the beginning of March, what are you hopes now for the rest of the season?
Is it a push for Europe? All eyes on the FA Cup? And how can the side build on this for next campaign? What is needed to improve things?
Leeds 0-1 Sunderland - the fans' verdictpublished at 12:21 GMT
12:21 GMT
Media caption,
Sunderland victorious after Leeds concede second-half penalty
We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Premier League game between Leeds and Sunderland.
Here are some of your comments:
Leeds fans:
Mark: I don't think i've seen such a dreadful spectacle of the dark arts. Sunderland were shocking. Farke needs to get a grip of the first half malarkey, he took way to long to make the changes. Tanaka and Gnonto should've started. The players arnt the best and need more time on the pitch to make the desired impact. He failed us last night, badly!
Clan: I can't understand why we didn't start the game with the same intensity as the last 10 minutes??? We shelled Manchester city but looked toothless and bereft of ideas against Sunderland. We seem determined to engage with the carnage of a relegation battle! A good review of the management structure is needed sooner rather than later.
Mel: Leeds seemed set up to lose rather than going out to win. The pay was slow, tedious and lacked creativity which resulted in poor opportunities to score. Quality was missing when needed.
Bill: Leeds had a lot of the ball but didn't really create anything of sorts, so overall Sunderland brilliant defence outshone a poor Leeds attack and for me deserved the points.
Sunderland fans:
Mark: Sunderland were there for the taking. Unfortunately Daniel Farke didn't react fast enough. Poor display by both teams with Sunderland applying the dark arts, that's why there was 12 minutes added on. Officials really need to get a grip of it.
Chris: This win says everything about Sunderland's team spirit and character not pretty but job done .Forty points achieved let's push on now and enjoy rest of the season.
Neil: Sometimes you've just got to be pragmatic about such a match at such a time in the season. With the 40 point goal achieved now is the time to push on, play 442 and show our other strengths. We can do more than hit teams on the break whilst stoicly defending like tigers. Ugly has its time and place but now let's aim higher. Fortunately Leeds didn't have the quality to get through us. Time to express ourselves.
David: It was ugly. There was little quality. Even the penalty, our one shot on target, was poor. But overall, funnily enough, it was magnificent. A bodies on the line, backs to the wall, battling performance, with two crucial VAR decisions going our way. Fortune does indeed favour the brave.
Leeds 0-1 Sunderland: What O'Nien & Le Bris saidpublished at 22:38 GMT 3 March
22:38 GMT 3 March
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Sunderland's Luke O'Nien speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the 1-0 win over Leeds: "In my opinion it was two of the best fans in the league and you saw that today. The atmosphere was special and you remember those days. Really proud of the boys, a special day."
On winning the player of the match award on his first Premier League start: "I'm not sure how I won this. The boys looked after me and know how much I wanted this start and how much this team means to me. The boys have been pushing me every day and we have one hell of a group. I'm just proud to be in this team.
"I'm not sure it was the prettiest of games or there will be many highlights for Match of the Day. Sometimes you have to grind it out. The boys were superb and we have our 40 points, now it's time to set a new target."
This is just the fifth game in the Premier League this season to see a team win via just one shot on target, with Sunderland accounting for two of those (also v Newcastle United in December).
Sunderland analysis: Black Cats end March madnesspublished at 22:06 GMT 3 March
22:06 GMT 3 March
Gary Rose BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
It may not have been pretty but Sunderland's win against Leeds was an effective away performance that keeps them in the frame for a finish in the European places.
Eyebrows may have been raised when boss Regis le Bris opted to use this game to hand Melker Ellborg his debut in goal, but the 22-year-old acquitted himself well, particularly in handling the jeers from the home fans when he was deemed to have been time-wasting.
He managed to deal with Leeds' efforts comfortably too as his side gained a battling third win in 13 league games.
Sunderland undoubtedly got a degree of fortune for the winner, but looked a more solid and dangerous side when captain Granit Xhaka was introduced 11 minutes into the second half.
It has been an impressive top-flight return for the Black Cats, who have now reached the 40-point target that Le Bris wanted and usually guarantees another season of Premier League football.
They also finally ended their March madness, having been winless in 17 previous top-flight games during this month since beating QPR in 2012.
Le Bris 'doesn't want the lads to take their foot off the accelerator'published at 12:56 GMT 3 March
12:56 GMT 3 March
Media caption,
Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini says manager Regis le Bris will continue to be cagey about their Premier League survival status so the players don't "take their foot off the accelerator".
"He is thinking about finishing higher up the table so that they have some more money for transfers and the status of the club improves," Gabbiadini said on BBC Radio Newcastle.
"But we are safe and I have been saying it for weeks. We are not going to lose every game between now and the end of the season and even a couple more draws would do it [mathematical safety]."
Leeds v Sunderland: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 09:11 GMT 3 March
09:11 GMT 3 March
Noel Sliney BBC Sport senior journalist
This is the first Premier League meeting between Leeds and Sunderland at Elland Road since August 2002, which the visitors won 1-0.
Leeds will kick-off six points behind their fellow promoted opponents, and six points above the bottom three with 10 games remaining.
Improved Leeds still leaking goals
When Leeds lost all four of their matches in November to drop into the relegation zone, few would have predicted they would only suffer three further defeats across the ensuing three months.
Those losses, spanning 15 games, have come against Champions League sides Newcastle,Arsenal and, on Saturday, Manchester City. Leeds' tally of 20 points during that period ranks them 10th in the division, just a point behind Chelsea.
Nonetheless, there is work to do to stay in the division. Notably, Daniel Farke's side have the worst defensive record outside the current bottom three, conceding 47 goals and only keeping two clean sheets in their past 25 top-flight matches.
That is despite making the fewest errors leading to shots (14) of any team in the Premier League and only facing the eighth-highest number of shots.
One statistic overwhelmingly in Leeds' favour is their home record in night-time fixtures. Though they lost their 5.30pm kick-off against Manchester City at the weekend, the Whites are unbeaten at Elland Road in 22 league games starting at 7pm or later since April 2023. They have won 19 of those, including the past 13 by an aggregate score of 33-7.
Beware the slides of March
Sunderland's season is on a downward trajectory; they earned 17 points from their first nine matches to briefly go second in the table, but have since only added 20 points from 19 fixtures.
They have won just two of their past 12 league games, but did at least stop a run of three straight defeats by drawing away to in-form Bournemouth on Saturday.
No team has been relegated with Sunderland's current tally of 37 points or more since Newcastle a decade ago. Nonetheless, the Black Cats would welcome a change of luck in March as they seek to end runs of nine Premier League away games, and as many midweek matches, without a win.
Perhaps most disconcerting for Sunderland is that they are winless in 17 top-flight games played in the month of March since beating QPR 3-1 in 2012 (D9, L8). In Premier League history, only Leicester City and Fulham have endured longer winless streaks in a particular month.
Sutton's predictions: Leeds v Sunderlandpublished at 07:38 GMT 3 March
07:38 GMT 3 March
This is a big game for Leeds. They are six points above the relegation zone with 10 games to go, but have still got work to do.
I've been impressed by Daniel Farke's side recently, but they still rely a lot on their home form - they have picked up 22 points from 14 games at Elland Road compared to nine from 14 on the road - so it feels like they need to win this.
Sunderland have not won in four league games but I'm not reading too much into that - Granit Xhaka's return from injury made a difference against Bournemouth on Saturday, and a draw was a good result for them.
This is going to be close but Leeds like playing under the lights - they pushed Manchester City all the way on Saturday evening, and this time I think it is them who will edge it.
'Europe this season? Absolutely possible... dare to dream'published at 19:02 GMT 2 March
19:02 GMT 2 March
Gavin Henderson Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
I'm sick of moaning about rotten officiating. It's not just an easy excuse any more – look objectively at our recent matches and it's hard to argue we've not been treated harshly, copping some truly awful decisions.
That said, I thought Sunderland played well at Bournemouth. Had the calls gone our way, we'd have probably won and no-one could have grumbled. A draw felt decent – not many sides will take four points off the Cherries this season, so I'm relatively happy with it.
If nothing else, it snapped us out of the recent slump. We got a determined, battling performance, which shows how well the lads respond when the chips are down. We've missed Granit Xhaka badly and his return hit home most when we didn't have the ball – he was screaming, pointing, organising, getting everyone into a really solid defensive shape.
Young midfielders Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra looked 10ft taller and played far better than they did without him. Our backline suddenly looked organised again. There's nothing revolutionary here, but Sunderland are a much better side with Xhaka in it.
We're now on 37 points, three shy of that magic 40-point target set early doors – the one we're refusing to look beyond until we hit it. A win at Elland Road would get us there with nine games still to play, and that ought to be motivation enough to really take the game to Leeds, who will fancy their own survival with a couple more victories.
There's been no sign of a struggle all season and I don't see us getting dragged into anything. Still, ticking off that 40-point mark would let us breathe easy and start eyeing new targets.
Europe this season? Absolutely possible, but our away form has to sharpen up. We've had no wins on the road since October – decent draws, but not converting enough is starting to niggle.
Not many teams go to Elland Road, especially under lights, and come away with anything. Doing it on Tuesday would send a hell of a message that Sunderland remain a serious threat. We mustn't fear Leeds. Give them too much respect and we'll lose.
Take a leaf out of Fulham's book from when they visited the Stadium of Light. Make it horrible, silence the crowd, take your chances and win the physical battles. Get the basics right and you've got a real shot.
Late on Tuesday, we might have 40 points secured, dreaming of bigger things as the season winds down.
Go on, dare to dream. You never know what might happen!
Le Bris on injuries, 'connected' midfield and facing Leeds at Elland Roadpublished at 14:11 GMT 2 March
14:11 GMT 2 March
Ailsa Cowen BBC Sport journalist
Media caption,
Sunderland boss Regis le Bris has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Elland (kick-off 19:30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Sunderland could be without Dennis Cirkin, Nordi Mukiele, Reinildo, Brian Brobbey and Jocelin Ta Bi.
Le Bris said there are no new injury updates: "We still have one or two minor injurie. With the quick turnaround between fixtures, we'll make decisions late. Other injuries remain long and recovery is important."
On defender Dan Ballard signing a new contract extension: "Dan has shown his capabilities to step up. His physical presence is consistent, but he is also constantly improving. We're all delighted for him."
On Sunderland's midfield: "Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Habib Diarra and Enzo le Fee are all connected in such a positive way. They are meant to play together. We know there is a fluidity to their movement that is matched with individual strengths."
On Tuesday's opponents: "They're doing well. They have a clear identity and the ability to go direct. They are well coached with a great atmosphere at Elland Road. Last season they were strong and the outcome at the end of the season [promotion] was no surprise.
'A deserved point' against Bournemouthpublished at 10:50 GMT 2 March
10:50 GMT 2 March
Media caption,
Former Sunderland player Gary Bennett and commentator Nick Barnes react to a "deserved point" in their 1-1 draw with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Paul: Another two points given up by a slow start and missed chances. As maybe expected, the high press just isn't there at this point of the season and the front men aren't getting into the box like they were earlier. Some encouraging performances, notably Alex Scott (again) and Marcus Tavernier, although we have to find a way to get Rayan more involved.
Adam: With a proper finisher (don't mention Antoine Semenyo), we'd be top five. Glad to not lose but gutted to not win... again.
James: Always a threat. Always play great football - although the time-wasting at Brighton was appalling. The unbeaten run continues. European football remains a possibility.
Geoff: On paper, it should have been 90 minutes of attacking football. Sunderland forgot to read the script, but were determined to throw themselves to the ground at every opportunity. Had there been a better referee I am quite sure all fans would have witnessed a better game.
Sunderland
Ann: Great away point! Sunderland have done well this season. Glad the captain is back at the helm!
Stephen: We knew we had to do much more and perform better than we have in recent games, and we did. We had more urgency, more fizz and better structure. We were unlucky not to get the three points.
K: A good performance against an in-form Bournemouth side. The standard of refereeing and those involved in VAR need a serious review. Week after week, there appear to be some serious errors made.
Craig: On the face of it, a good point on the road, but in reality, another shocking performance from the officials. In what planet was the penalty shout an acceptable challenge? Three points off the magical 40 takes the pain away, but more consistency from VAR is needed.
Gossip: Sunderland monitor striker Gimenezpublished at 06:59 GMT 2 March
06:59 GMT 2 March
Sunderland and West Ham are interested in 24-year-old Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez, who could be allowed to leave AC Milan. (AS - in Spanish), external
NI defender Ballard extends Sunderland contractpublished at 20:13 GMT 1 March
20:13 GMT 1 March
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
Ballard has made 33 appearances for Northern Ireland
Sunderland defender Dan Ballard has extended his contract until the summer of 2029, with an option of an additional year.
The Northern Ireland international signed for the Black Cats from Arsenal in July 2022 and has been played a key role in the club's recent success.
Ballard has made 114 appearances in red and white, has scored eight goals and has impressed during his debut season in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old also scored a dramatic injury-time winner against Coventry City in the play-off semi-final last year, before Sunderland beat Sheffield United in the final at Wembley to earn promotion to the topflight.
"I'm absolutely delighted to have signed a new contract. From the moment we began talks, it felt like an easy decision, and I'm happy to be extending my time at the club." Ballard said after the announcement.
"Achieving promotion last season was incredible and I feel very fortunate to have played a part in some special moments in the club's recent history.
"My aim this season was to stay in the team, compete every day, and keep working hard to contribute. Hopefully, I can continue improving and help drive the club forward for many years to come."
Watch Premier League highlights and analysispublished at 10:41 GMT 1 March
10:41 GMT 1 March
Pundits Alan Shearer and Ashley Williams join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's Premier League fixtures.
Bournemouth 1-1 Sunderland: What Le Bris and Ballard saidpublished at 16:08 GMT 28 February
16:08 GMT 28 February
Media caption,
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris to BBC Match of the Day: "It's a tough place. They have a clear identity, they are intense and always on the front foot. It was really positive from us to challenge this position. After three defeats in a row it's not a question of tactics or technique it's mindset to be honest. Today we showed it. We probably had the opportunity to win this game, especially at the beginning of the second half to make it 2-0. We didn't score, but it's a good point in the end.
"We had different options on the bench. We had a few injuries from Fulham as well so it was important to make a few changes and the lads are still connected with the team. We are a small group so they know with injuries and suspensions and so on something will come. When it comes you have to get ready and that's what they did today."
On Eliezer Mayenda's goal: "Mayenda is in the right position on the pitch. As the striker you have to sniff the opportunity and he did it well."
On Granit Xhaka's return: "He's important. In this league every team has two or three main players. Here at Sunderland we know Granit is one of those players. When he is with us you feel the difference. The way he can lead and give confidence to his team-mates is really important as well."
Sunderland defender Dan Ballard to BBC Match of the Day: "It was an intense game. It's a tough place to come here. They bring high energy. All the duals are tough. We've struggled of late and we needed to bring it back to basics. We did that and we matched them."
On Granit Xhaka returning: "We've missed him of late and we've had our toughest run of the season. To have a natural leader like that come into the team is great. It was important to bounce back. I think we've done that today.
"They put you under pressure all game. It's hard to have control of the ball, it can feel end to end. It's a tough place to come so we can be proud of the performance today."
On Sunderland's first-half penalty shout: "It felt like it was a penalty at the time. I've not seen it. It's a tough job to referee, especially on a day like today where both teams are going on it. It's difficult for them, but it did feel like a penalty."
This was the first Premier League game this season between two starting elevens with an average age of 24 and below; the last time this happened was the final day of last season between Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton.
Analysis: Xhaka returns as Black Cats end losing streakpublished at 15:22 GMT 28 February
15:22 GMT 28 February
Emily Salley BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
In the reverse fixture against Bournemouth in November, the Black Cats found themselves 2-0 down inside 15 minutes at the Stadium of Light before fighting back to win 3-2.
But Regis Le Bris' side got off to a brighter start on the south coast, with Noah Sadiki's low shot forcing a fine save by Petrovic, while they also had an early penalty appeal waved away by referee Gillett.
And after soaking up a period of pressure by Bournemouth, the visitors took the lead through Eliezer Mayenda's first league goal since the opening day of the season.
Lutsharel Geertruida then stopped the hosts from finding a quick equaliser with a superb last-ditch slide tackle to stop David Brooks from tapping in.
Habib Diarra missed a golden chance to double Sunderland's lead after the restart when he found himself through on goal, but his strike was easily saved by Petrovic.
The Senegal international was ultimately left to rue the wasted opportunity, with Evanilson ensuring the Black Cats will head back to Wearside with just a point.
However, there are positives to take for Le Bris whose side snapped their three-game losing run and moved back into the top half of the table, while captain Xhaka returned from injury to start for the first time since 17 January.
