Sunderland in astonishing form ahead of play-offs I couldn’t help but notice | OneFootball

As a Newcastle United fan, the Championship has taken on a little bit of interest this season, with the possibility of Sunderland finally making it back up from the lower leagues.

If the Mackems don’t get promoted, then it will ensure at least a full decade without any Tyne and Wear derbies.

As to the question of should we as Newcastle United fans want Sunderland to go up, so we can have the derbies back again. It is always a two word reply from me.

As far as I am concerned they can stay down there forever, hopefully exiting at some point back to the third tier where they belong.

Anyway, I couldn’t help but notice what astonishing form Sunderland are in as they move into the play-offs.

The normal Championship 46 season concluded earlier today and this is how Sunderland have finished the season:

Sunderland 0 Swansea 1

Bristol City 2 Sunderland 1

Sunderland 0 Blackburn 1

Oxford 2 Sunderland 0

Sunderland 0 QPR 1 (on-loan Newcastle United full-back Harrison Ashby created the winning goal)

The Mackems ending the season with five straight defeats and they have scored only one goal in their last six games of the season.

IMAGO/Sportimage

This is how the Championship table looks now the 46th and final round of matches have been played:

As you can see, Sunderland ending up fourth, a massive 24 points off Leeds and Burnley and 14 behind Sheffield United (who had two points deducted).

The Championship has looked shocking quality this season and considering what a shambles Burnley and Sheffield United were when relegated 12 months ago from the Premier League, then both teams losing their best players when going down, it looks a massive uphill struggle for any second tier club to survive next season if getting promoted.

So it is Sheffield United up against Bristol City in one play-off semi-final and Sunderland up against a club who they hate, Coventry.

Just had a check of the dates and it is

Friday 9 May – Coventry v Sunderland (8pm)

Tuesday 13 May – Sunderland v Coventry (8pm)

Play-off final is on Saturday 24 May, the day before the final round of Premier League matches.