AliousJamie Carragher Doubles Down on Sunderland Relegation Call Despite Strong Premier League Start**
Sunderland’s return to the Premier League has defied early expectations. After five matches, Régis Le Bris’ men have already collected eight points — a strong start for a club that came up via the play-offs.
Typically, teams promoted at Wembley face the toughest turnaround, but Sunderland’s summer recruitment has allowed them to settle quickly.
Granit Xhaka has slotted in seamlessly as a leader, while Nordi Mukiele, Robin Roefs, and Omar Alderete have also made instant impacts.
The new-look squad has impressed, and optimism is growing at the Stadium of Light.
One person who isn’t fully convinced, though, is Jamie Carragher.
The Sky Sports pundit originally predicted Sunderland would be relegated alongside Wolves and Burnley before the campaign began.
With Wolves and Burnley struggling while Sunderland hold their own, Carragher was pressed by Jill Scott on the *Stick to Football podcast about whether he’s changed his mind.
His response was blunt: “I think they will, yeah. You don’t change your predictions in September.”
Despite Carragher’s reluctance, history could be on Sunderland’s side. BBC Sport notes that in the last decade, every promoted club to earn at least 11 points from their first 10 matches has survived.
Sunderland sit on eight from five, needing just one win in their next five fixtures to hit that mark.
With Wilson Isidor matching a Darren Bent record and Le Bris quickly molding his new recruits into a cohesive unit, the signs suggest Sunderland may be more resilient than Carragher is willing to admit.
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