Sunderland's new predicted final Premier League finish after Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest defeats | OneFootball

Opta have published their latest projected Premier League table, shifting the picture for Sunderland after a bruising week. According to Sunderland Echo, the model now has the Black Cats finishing 12th on 50.64 points.

A late loss at Aston Villa last Sunday was followed by a 5-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light on Friday. A Trai Hume own goal set Forest on their way, then Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White, Igor Jesus and Elliot Anderson compounded the damage, strengthening the visitors’ survival push.

Sunderland had been tipped to scrap against the drop after returning to the top flight via last May’s Championship play-off final win over Sheffield United. Despite the setback, Regis Le Bris’s side have exceeded expectations and remain close to the European berths.

They sit in the bottom half but are within reach of the top seven with four matches to play.

Opta’s model projects Arsenal to finish top ahead of Manchester City, with Manchester United third and Aston Villa fourth. Within that picture, Sunderland’s forecasted 12th-place finish underlines progress in a season featuring setbacks and improvement.

Source: Sunderland Echo