Alious
How Fulham Can Crack Sunderland: Tactical Deep-Dive Into the Premier League’s New High-Flyers.
Fulham travel to face a confident Sunderland side — one of the Premier League’s surprise packages this season. But how exactly can Marco Silva’s men walk away with a crucial three points against the division’s most energetic newcomers? Let’s break it down.
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How Sunderland Play
Out of Possession
Sunderland’s defensive identity revolves around relentless, coordinated pressure. They thrive on aggressive, man-oriented pressing, backed by ruthlessness and lightning-quick reactions — a combination that has scaled surprisingly well to Premier League intensity.
Their press isn’t reckless, either. The Black Cats trigger pressure at specific moments, often pouncing when opponents receive the ball in vulnerable positions. Against Fulham, two obvious pressure magnets stand out: Calvin Bassey and Sander Berge — both players Fulham will need to protect in build-up.
When pressing high, Sunderland usually morph into a bold 4-4-2, squeezing the pitch and forcing rushed decisions. But when the flow of a match pushes them deeper — or when they’re defending a lead — they drop into a compact 5-4-1, guiding opponents out wide. That’s exactly where they want the ball: Sunderland’s centre-backs relish aerial duels and are built to handle cross-heavy attacks.
-In Possession
Sunderland’s attacking blueprint is simple but devastating: **move the ball forward fast** and exploit space before opponents can organise.
Granit Xhaka frequently dips into the backline to orchestrate play, spraying passes out wide. Omar Alderete also contributes by feeding their dangerous wide men, who excel in one-on-one situations.
Those wingers are the heartbeat of Sunderland’s creativity, repeatedly delivering into the towering **Wilson Isidor**, a constant aerial and physical menace. When opponents press high, Isidor becomes the escape route — the perfect outlet to relieve pressure and launch transitions.
Regis Le Bris has his side playing expansively, especially considering they were a Championship team just months ago. He often blends defensive and attacking phases seamlessly, relying on fluidity rather than rigid structure.
-Where Fulham Can Hurt Sunderland
Ultimately, this match will be decided by whether Fulham can resist — and then escape — Sunderland’s press. Failure to play out cleanly could lead to a ninth straight game with just one victory.
Sunderland’s tendency to push opposition into wide areas might suggest Fulham should focus their attacks from the flanks. But with Raul Jiménez both injured and jet-lagged from Mexico duty, he is unlikely to win many battles against Sunderland’s physically dominant back line.
So the solution must come through the middle.
Fulham need guile and composure centrally. Alex Iwobi has to start in the middle, carrying the ball and breaking Sunderland’s lines. Josh Kin, fresh off an impressive cameo against Everton, should also feature — drifting into pockets, connecting play, and adding creativity. With Ryan Sessegno and Kenny Tete overlapping to overload wide areas, Fulham could finally carve out high-quality chances.
Recommended Fulham Line-Up
*Leno; Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Sessegnon; Reed, Iwobi, King; Wilson, Kevin, Raul
* Cuenca replaces an out-of-form Bassey, who is still recovering mentally from his decisive penalty miss for Nigeria.
* Sasa Lukic** is suspended after accumulating five bookings.
*Harrison Reed is the closest Fulham have to a natural holding midfielder.
* Sander Berge’s recent performances don’t justify another start.
*Josh King earns his place — he’s the creative engine Fulham desperately need.
A Tough Outlook for Fulham?
Fulham continue to struggle to find the right mix of technical quality and physical toughness to compete with midfields led by the likes of Xhaka and Sadiki. That challenge remains just as daunting here.
Do Fulham have the midfield muscle to go toe-to-toe with Sunderland?
Probably not.
Do they have a striker capable of holding the ball up and threatening in duels?
Not at the moment.
And that’s worrying.
Because after this match, Fulham’s next three opponents are **Spurs, Manchester City, and Crystal Palace**. Without a win today, their slump could easily roll deep into December — by which point Forest and West Ham may have already leapfrogged them.
Pressure is building. A poor result could spark genuine unrest.
Fulham need this. Badly. COYW.
Alious
