Sunderland return to Premier League action on Saturday, needing to beat Burnley at home if only to avoid being left utterly stranded at the foot of the table. With a shocking goal difference of -26, the reality for David Moyes is that only an extraordinary pair of scorelines in Sunderland's match, and when Middlesbrough host Manchester United on Sunday, would lift his side to 19th place.
Since that is not going to happen, Sunderland's challenge is to produce the sort of winning display that would make another late climb to safety look at least achievable, if still unlikely.