Sunderland know their destiny remains in their own hands with just three games of the League One season to play. The Black Cats are just outside of the play-offs on goal difference, but have a game in hand on Plymouth Argyle and Wycombe Wanderers who sit above them in the table.
FiveThirtyEight, a supercomputer which predicts the final standing in the division, previously tipped the Black Cats to finish second in League One, before having them down to miss out on the play-offs. The predictor has since updated which will please Sunderland supporters.
The supercomputer has Sunderland to finish the season in fifth place on 83 points, behind MK Dons and Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off places, with Plymouth Argyle taking the final spot. The Black Cats know they cannot afford to slip up in the final three games of the season with the fight for a top six berth heading to the wire.
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Alex Neil's side have become quite the specialists in finding a way to win games by hook or by crook. The former Preston North End boss has reiterated that results are more important than performances at this part of the season with the Black Cats searching for a return to the Championship.
Failure to win promotion would spell a fifth consecutive season in League One, an unforgivable statistic given the size of the club. All that counts for nought when results have been below par.
