Sunderland return to Premier League action at Everton on Saturday in the familiar position, for this stage of any recent season, of facing a steep uphill struggle to avoid relegation.
Only seven points separate the bottom seven clubs. The battle, in theory, remains winnable.
But the despondent mood that has clung to the Stadium of Light for most of the season was deepened incalculably by the failure to take the 4-0 win at Crystal Palace on Feb. 4 as a starting point for serious revival. Instead Sunderland returned to sloppy, clueless ways, losing the next match at home to Southampton by the same margin after a bright opening period.