Danny Batth believes the financial impact of Covid has helped Sunderland make the step up to the Championship. The Black Cats won promotion via the play-offs last season after finishing fifth in League One and have taken the second tier in their stride, remaining in the play-off race - albeit as outsiders - with five games of the campaign remaining.
Sunderland have beaten a host of established Championship sides this season, along with several that have promotion ambitions such as Norwich City, Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers. And Batth says the effects of the drop in income caused by teams having to play the 2020-21 season behind closed doors during the Covid pandemic has had a levelling effect.
"I think Covid has probably done that in terms of the reaction in terms of the wages and investment clubs can afford to make," said the captain, following Sunderland Easter Monday win at relegation-threatened Cardiff City. "We finished fifth in League One last year and are coming to places like Cardiff and winning.
