Sunderland supporters rejoiced as the full-time whistle blew at Wembley Stadium on May 21. The 2-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers secured their return to the second tier of English football after a four-year hiatus.
The Black Cats were one step closer to the promised land of the Premier League, but a return to the Championship would bring new kinds of obstacles. So far, Sunderland have overcome the majority and they don't look like a side that's spent such a long time away from the division.
The Wearsiders have competed well in every fixture so far this season and are within touching distance of the play-offs, despite having a budget way smaller than the recently relegated Premier League sides. A summer of good recruitment has once again freshened up an aging squad from League One.
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Injuries have of course hampered the club in recent weeks. But, Tony Mowbray's side entered the winter break on the back of three points and on a positive footing.
Chronicle Live has taken a look at WhoScored, to find out what Mowbray's best starting XI is according to the statistics. This is what we found.
Sunderland have tinkered with a number of formations this season, with Alex Neil and Mowbray not afraid to change the shape of the Black Cats from game to game. According to the date, the 3-4-1-2 formation has been the most successful for Sunderland so far this season, with an average rating of 6.7.
It should perhaps come as no surprise to see the Black Cats line up this way in seven of the 20 Championship games to date. They've won three out of those seven, drawing twice and losing twice, scoring 11 goals and conceding eight.
We've therefore stuck with that formation and filled the starting XI with players that have the highest average rating according to WhoScored. Which has thrown up some surprises.
Anthony Patterson has been one of the standout performers for Sunderland this season and has risen to the challenge of being number one. Having played every game so far in the Championship, he starts between the sticks with a 6.75 rating.
The ever reliable Luke O'Nien with an average rating of 6.73 , lines up alongside Aji Alese (6.97) and Dennis Cirkin 6.76 in a back three. Which means there's no place for Danny Batth, who has an average rating of 6.69 despite playing every game this season.
Alese and Cirkin have missed parts of the season through injuries and played less games than Batth, but have still impressed when called upon. Another Sunderland player who has been absent through injury is Lynden Gooch , but his average rating of 6.70 sees him start at right-wing back.
A midfield duo of Dan Neil (6.70) and the industrious Alex Pritchard (6.73) make up the Sunderland engine room, while Jack Clarke completes the defence and midfield with an average rating of 7.01 at left wing-back.
Operating in the number ten behind two strikers is Patrick Roberts with an average rating of 6.76. There are no surprises up front with Ross Stewart (7.81) and Ellis Simms (6.88) leading the line.
The pair have both been absent with injury in recent weeks, but when they were both fit, Sunderland were among the play-off picture. There are some notable mentions for Amad Diallo (6.70) , Corry Evans (6.60) and Bailey Wright (6.45) who narrowly miss out.
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