Will newly promoted Sunderland hold on to their place at the top?
In the last two years, the newly promoted teams from the Championship have, to put it bluntly, only played supporting roles. In both 2023/24 and 2024/25, all three newcomers immediately had to make the bitter journey back to the second division. This makes the performance of the promoted “Black Cats” from Sunderland all the more impressive.
The traditional club from the industrial city in the northeast of England, which even had to earn its place in the Premier League via the playoffs, has, completely unexpectedly and without any adjustment difficulties, established itself right away in the top group of England’s best soccer league.
Even at the end of the 10th match day in the Premier League, betting on French head coach Regis Le Bris’ team between Sunderland and Everton definitely does not seem to be a hopeless endeavor. After all, the home team is ten places ahead of their upcoming opponent and also has six more points to their name. The form curve also plays into the hands of the red, white, and black team!
The team led by former Leverkusen player Granit Xhaka has already celebrated five wins in its first nine games, three of which came in the last four matches. The highlight so far was last week’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea FC. Confidence is at boiling point and the momentum could hardly be more positive.
In contrast, the Toffees also got off to a decent start, but have only won one of their last six games. Most recently, they suffered heavy defeats at Manchester City (0-2) and at home against Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (0-3). Across all competitions, the Blues from Liverpool have lost four of their last six games.
My Sunderland vs. Everton prediction therefore tends to favor the hosts. I don’t really believe in an away win, especially since the Toffees have lost three of their four away games so far and only managed to score points against Wolverhampton (3-2), who are still winless and bottom of the table. Three of the four goals scored were also from the away win at Molineux, which, however, was over two months ago.
In addition to my reasonable assumption that the odds on the double chance 1X between Sunderland and Everton provide a solid basis for a match combo, the bottom line is that a low-scoring duel is also to be expected. On the one hand, because only league leaders Arsenal conceded fewer goals (three) than the promoted team from the industrial city (seven) in the first quarter of the season.
On the other hand, in all nine PL match days involving AFC, a maximum of three goals were scored, and in six cases, a maximum of two. The Black Cats’ impressive home record of three wins and one draw from four games, with a goal difference of 8:2, further supports my tip for 1X & Under 3.5.
Sunderland – Everton Head-to-head record
The head-to-head record is not particularly relevant for the upcoming match. This is primarily because the teams last faced each other in 2016/17. At that time, however, they had completely different personnel, both on the pitch and on the bench.
Nevertheless, it is certainly interesting to note that Everton have won only two of their last eight games at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland (2-4-2). However, the last two direct duels nine years ago ended in victories for the Toffees, who were partly responsible for the Black Cats’ relegation from the Premier League and their return to the top flight just under a decade later.
Sunderland – Everton Tip
Sunderland is currently enjoying its best Premier League season since the turn of the millennium. 17 points from nine games are enough for fourth place in the interim rankings and have caused a real euphoria to break out in the industrial city. Last week’s 2-1 win at Chelsea FC also showed that the Black Cats are not a flash in the pan, but a top team on the island that is currently rightly placed among the leaders. Two goals conceded in four home games also prove the brutal defensive strength of Xhaka and Co.
All in all, I therefore assume that the Toffees will not win at the Stadium of Light either. The players from the blue part of Liverpool have lost four of their last six competitive games, have failed to score in their last two league games and are traditionally weaker away than at home.
That’s exactly why I’m going for a 1X & Under 3.5 bet ahead of the Sunderland vs. Everton match. I’m playing the 1.85 odds at Betano with five fictitious units. The value also includes the win bet on the three-way market. I don’t see the strong newcomers as underdogs!
