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Sunderland rose to the Premier League two seasons ago with Roy Keane’s magnetism, and it was the same presence that kept them afloat last season.&nbsp; The reform movement lost steam when Keane left, and Sunderland have been rudderless since Ricky Sbragia transcended the interim label.&nbsp; The club is in fourteenth place, but just three points above the drop zone. 
Form: Sunderland have nine points from their last eight matches, winning two and drawing another three.&nbsp; The two wins came at home against Stoke and Fulham, which isn’t so impressive, but the type of wins they need to stay up.&nbsp; Though, the eight game sample sounds better than it should, because Sunderland are winless in their last five.
Schedule: Sunderland’s schedule is not hospitable.&nbsp; Three out of their four home matches are against Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea, squelching opportunities to shoot for a home win.&nbsp; They may get a reprieve if the final Chelsea match is a dead rubber, but even a deflated Chelsea team could compete.&nbsp; The other home tie is against Hull City.&nbsp; Sunderland also travel to West Ham, West Brom, Bolton and Portsmouth. 
Injuries: Sunderland are not really beset with crucial injuries, with Teemu Tainio being the most significant loss.&nbsp; Amazingly, Djibril Cisse has not broken his leg, but there’s still time. &nbsp;Their talented players are healthy. &nbsp;They just need to play well.
Prognosis: Sunderland have not beaten a noteworthy team all season, going winless against the top eight.&nbsp; Besides the occasional flash of brilliance, they don’t create and they struggle to score, managing just 29 in 30 matches.&nbsp; Sunderland need to win two to three of the next eight games to ensure their safety.&nbsp; It doesn’t look likely.&nbsp; If Newcastle catches some luck, Sunderland may be relegated instead.
This post is part of a series on relegation. &nbsp;Check out our other posts on <a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/the-relegation-rumble-bolton-wanderers/5231">Bolton</a> and <a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/the-relegation-rumble-hull-city/5272">Hull City</a>.

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The Relegation Rumble: Sunderland