It was all going so well. Just a matter of weeks ago Sunderland were sitting in a play-off spot having lost just once in two months, with promotion hopes moving from unlikely to genuine.
Since then, as a busy fixture list took its toll on the Black Cats’ squad, the club slipped to three defeats on the bounce for the first time since their promotion to the second tier and are now five points off the coveted top six.
With 11 games still to play, that dream of competing for a Premier League place is far from over, but this week’s ChronicleLive survey of Sunderland fans has highlighted the tough task that lies ahead for Tony Mowbray’s men.
