AliousSunderland fans had plenty to celebrate as their team bounced back from back-to-back losses against Hull City and Leeds United with an important away victory over Sheffield Wednesday. The win was crucial in keeping Sunderland’s promotion ambitions alive, as they faced a determined Wednesday side eager to climb into the Championship play-off race and avenge their heavy 4-0 defeat from August.
Sunderland struck first in the contest, with Eliezer Mayenda marking his return to the starting lineup in emphatic fashion, opening the scoring just 11 minutes before halftime. However, the home side responded quickly, with Callum Paterson netting an equalizer just three minutes into the second half. Despite this setback, Sunderland remained resilient, and Mayenda restored their lead with his second goal of the game—his sixth of the season—securing an important away win for Regis Le Bris’ side.
This victory, Sunderland’s third in their last four away matches, keeps them within touching distance of the automatic promotion places, though they remain eight points adrift. Nevertheless, Mayenda remains optimistic about their chances of securing a top-two finish. Speaking to *The Echo*, he expressed confidence in the team’s ability to push for promotion, emphasizing the importance of belief, determination, and maintaining a strong team spirit.
Looking ahead, Sunderland will now focus on two crucial home fixtures against Cardiff City and Preston North End. Meanwhile, data experts at Opta have projected the final Championship standings, predicting Sunderland will finish in fourth place with 83 points.
Here’s how the predicted final table shapes up:
1. **Leeds United** – 99 points
2. **Sheffield United** – 92 points
3. **Burnley** – 91 points
4. **Sunderland** – 83 points
5. **Coventry City** – 70 points
6. **West Bromwich Albion** – 69 points
7. **Blackburn Rovers** – 67 points
8. **Middlesbrough** – 66 points
9. **Bristol City** – 65 points
10. **Watford** – 64 points
11. **Norwich City** – 64 points
12. **Sheffield Wednesday** – 60 points
13. **Millwall** – 60 points
14. **Preston North End** – 60 points
15. **QPR** – 57 points
16. **Swansea City** – 54 points
17. **Portsmouth** – 53 points
18. **Cardiff City** – 50 points
19. **Oxford United** – 50 points
20. **Hull City** – 49 points
21. **Stoke City** – 49 points
22. **Plymouth Argyle** – 43 points
23. **Luton Town** – 42 points
24. **Rotherham United** – 41 points
With the season approaching its final stretch, Sunderland will need to sustain their momentum and fight for every point if they are to challenge for automatic promotion.
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