Sunderland AFC sent clear play-off warning - Régis Le Bris must be wary | OneFootball

Sunderland's 3-0 loss to Coventry City is a wake up call for the club's play-off ambitions

Sunderland’s dreams of earning automatic promotion to the Premier League are all but over following last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Coventry City.

The Black Cats have spent much of the campaign chasing one of the top-two spots but have seen their chances of doing so handed a number of seismic blows in recent times.

A finish inside the play-offs seems wrapped up now, but Sunderland will be looking over their shoulder after they were put to the sword by an inspired Haji Wright hattrick at the CBS Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The defeat also serves as a warning ahead of the play-offs, as the Sky Blues are looking increasingly likely to be a potential opponent for Régis Le Bris’ side.

It ensured that the Black Cats went into the March international break licking their wounds, and they should now be hard at work ensuring their heads don’t drop in the subsequent weeks so that they can go into the play-off with the right momentum behind them.

They have a 12 point lead over seventh-placed Bristol City with only eight games to go, so their place in the top six is pretty safe, but some good results are still needed, if only to maintain strong morale before the mini-competition gets underway.

Frank Lampard’s Coventry City are a threat to Sunderland AFC

The manner of the defeat on Saturday was one thing, but for Sunderland to lose so convincingly to a club that are looming right behind them in the table is an even bigger worry.

Frank Lampard’s side are really clicking now, and should feel confident of earning a top six spot of their own if they keep up this run.

They might not have been able to string together a campaign to threaten the top two, but they are coming together on cue to look like a real threat in the play-offs.

Sunderland have enjoyed a strong term, but their form is going backwards at just the wrong time, and Le Bris will now have eight games to turn that around to prepare for the promotion shootout.

The Sky Blues have won 10 of their last 12 in the Championship, which has rocketed them up to fifth in the table, while the Black Cats have now won just two of their last six.

There are still 10 points between them, but that won’t matter if they finish fourth and fifth and meet in the semi-finals of the play-offs.

Then this 3-0 loss will loom large in the buildup to that game, which should be a major concern for the club.

Sunderland AFC can still win promotion but they must improve

This season has presented Sunderland with a golden opportunity to genuinely fight for promotion to the Premier League again, having come 16th in the previous campaign.

Le Bris has done a great job since arriving in the summer, but he is facing his first real setbacks with this run of poor form, and he has to find a solution if the club’s hopes of a Premier League return are to remain alive.

Players like Jobe Bellingham, Wilson Isidor and Chris Rigg could all depart if the Wearside outfit remain in the Championship another year.

Something must be done to reverse their current fortunes, as this 3-0 loss to Coventry is a real low point in their season.