Sunderland may need to get the highest number of points in the last 10 years to qualify for the League One play-offs this season. But the good news is that they're already reached the average threshold to make it into the top six.
The Black Cats currently occupy the final play-off place on 73 points, with five games still to play. Wycombe Wanderers are level on points in seventh, but have played a game more, while Oxford United have fallen behind in the race, lying in eighth on 69 points with only four more to play.
Alex Neil has overseen a steadying of the ship at the Stadium of Light and, if they do make the play-offs, they are likely to enter the end-of-season battle as one of the most in-form sides in the league. However, the race is far from run, and it appears this campaign will see one of the highest points totals among the top sides.
READ MORE: Anthony Patterson tipped for bright future amid impressive breakthrough season
In the last 10 fully completed seasons - not including the 2019-20 campaign which was decided on points-per-game due Covid - the highest points total for a sixth-placed side has been 74 points, one less than the Wearsiders already have.
Only once since 2011 has the sixth-placed threshold fallen below the 70-point total, in 2015 when Chesterfield made the play-offs on 69 points. Sunderland could yet finish on 88 points, and while five wins from their final games would be incredible, it bodes well for their play-off hopes.
Of course previous seasons count for nothing when it comes to this year's campaign, but it does put Sunderland's performance into more context - and the level of competition they are up against. Neil must oversee the Easter fixtures against Shrewsbury and Plymouth, before what they will hope are very winnable home games against Cambridge and out-of-form Rotherham.
The Black Cats then end their regular season at Morecambe, ahead of what could be a closely-fought play-off campaign. Sunderland lost to Lincoln over two legs at the same stage last year, while they suffered Wembley agony against Charlton Athletic in 2019.
Neil is determined his side will keep fighting in the remaining fixtures, and has outline what he expects to see. "Exactly what we have been doing," he said. "Show resilience, grit, quality, and variety in terms of all the players having to contribute.
"If you'd seen where we were ten games ago to where we are now in terms of evolution of being hard to beat, having good structure, players understanding what their roles are and carrying them out, I think there has been a big difference in them in terms of their appetite. Not only that, in the belief that they can go and win the games."
For the latest Sunderland news direct to your inbox, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
