Premier League new boys Sunderland handed nightmare December culminating in Newcastle derby

Sunderland will experience the Nightmare Before Christmas after the Premier League fixture list served up a horror December run. The Black Cats are back in England’s top-flight for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign as the club battles to avoid instant relegation. Sunderland are raring to go for the Premier LeagueGetty Last year, for the second successive season, every newly-promoted side suffered instant returns to the Championship. Sunderland will be aiming to buck that trend and have been handed a favourable start to the new campaign against West Ham. Regis Le Bris’ side begin their return at the Stadium of Light before facing fellow newly-promoted side Burnley in gameweek two. However, the true test of Sunderland’s Premier League credentials will be decided over the do-or-die festive period. The Wearsiders face Liverpool, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City twice, alongside a first derby showdown with Newcastle. At the start of December, Sunderland have two testing trips to the two teams that have shared the title for the past eight years. Sunderland first travel to Anfield to face champions Liverpool on December 3, with Man City at the Etihad next up on December 6. The relentless run continues with the eagerly awaited return of the Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle at home on December 13. Sunderland will have to wait until December 27 to renew hostilities with Leeds, having failed to beat the Championship winners during both meetings in the second-division last season. Either side of that potential six-pointer will be a match away to Brighton, with the return home match against City on December 30. Sunderland play Man City twice across Christmas, as well as Liverpool and NewcastleGetty Sunderland’s 2025-26 Premier League fixtures 16/08/2025 15:00 Sunderland v West Ham United 23/08/2025 15:00 Burnley v Sunderland 30/08/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Brentford 13/09/2025 15:00 Crystal Palace v Sunderland 20/09/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Aston Villa 27/09/2025 15:00 Nottingham Forest v Sunderland 04/10/2025 15:00 Manchester United v Sunderland 18/10/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Wolves 25/10/2025 15:00 Chelsea v Sunderland 01/11/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Everton 08/11/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Arsenal 22/11/2025 15:00 Fulham v Sunderland 29/11/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Bournemouth 03/12/2025 20:00 Liverpool v Sunderland 06/12/2025 15:00 Manchester City v Sunderland 13/12/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Newcastle United 20/12/2025 15:00 Brighton v Sunderland 27/12/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Leeds United 30/12/2025 20:00 Sunderland v Manchester City 03/01/2026 15:00 Tottenham v Sunderland 07/01/2026 20:00 Brentford v Sunderland 17/01/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Crystal Palace 24/01/2026 15:00 West Ham United v Sunderland 31/01/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Burnley 07/02/2026 15:00 Arsenal v Sunderland 11/02/2026 20:00 Sunderland v Liverpool 21/02/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Fulham 28/02/2026 15:00 Bournemouth v Sunderland 04/03/2026 20:00 Leeds United v Sunderland 14/03/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Brighton 21/03/2026 15:00 Newcastle United v Sunderland 11/04/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Tottenham 18/04/2026 15:00 Aston Villa v Sunderland 25/04/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Nottingham Forest 02/05/2026 15:00 Wolves v Sunderland 09/05/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Manchester United 17/05/2026 15:00 Everton v Sunderland 24/05/2026 16:00 Sunderland v Chelsea If that wasn’t enough to make fans squirm, then Sunderland’s run-in will also have supporters diving for cover behind their sofas. At the end of the season, the Black Cats could be battling for survival against Man United, Everton and Chelsea in their final three games. Sunderland caused an upset of sorts in the Championship play-off final at Wembley last month, coming back from a goal down to beat favourites Sheffield United 2-1. On that day, captain Luke O’Nien – who was forced off after just three minutes – was the only player in the starting 11 over the age of 25. Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips has warned the club that such reliance on youth won’t be enough back in the big time. “If this team went into the Premier League I think they’d really struggle,” he admitted. Sunderland will likely have to get some experience in the team “Let’s be honest about it, you’d love to give them an opportunity but the gulf is so big between the Premier League and the Championship.” Phillips expects Sunderland to spend big, with the squad already depleted further following Jobe Bellingham’s £31million club-record switch to Borussia Dortmund last week. He explained: “It was interesting listening to Niall Quinn, having been the chairman, he said it causes all sorts of problems. “It’s a good problem to have, £210million, but they have to invest it wisely, we’ve seen over the years when clubs go out and buy eight, nine, ten players without really doing their due diligence, without analysing what they need. “They need to be

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Premier League new boys Sunderland handed nightmare December culminating in Newcastle derby

Sunderland will experience the Nightmare Before Christmas after the Premier League fixture list served up a horror December run.

The Black Cats are back in England’s top-flight for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign as the club battles to avoid instant relegation.

Sunderland are raring to go for the Premier League

Last year, for the second successive season, every newly-promoted side suffered instant returns to the Championship.

Sunderland will be aiming to buck that trend and have been handed a favourable start to the new campaign against West Ham.

Regis Le Bris’ side begin their return at the Stadium of Light before facing fellow newly-promoted side Burnley in gameweek two.

However, the true test of Sunderland’s Premier League credentials will be decided over the do-or-die festive period.

The Wearsiders face Liverpool, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City twice, alongside a first derby showdown with Newcastle.

At the start of December, Sunderland have two testing trips to the two teams that have shared the title for the past eight years.

Sunderland first travel to Anfield to face champions Liverpool on December 3, with Man City at the Etihad next up on December 6.

The relentless run continues with the eagerly awaited return of the Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle at home on December 13.

Sunderland will have to wait until December 27 to renew hostilities with Leeds, having failed to beat the Championship winners during both meetings in the second-division last season.

Either side of that potential six-pointer will be a match away to Brighton, with the return home match against City on December 30.

Sunderland play Man City twice across Christmas, as well as Liverpool and Newcastle

Sunderland’s 2025-26 Premier League fixtures

16/08/2025 15:00 Sunderland v West Ham United
23/08/2025 15:00 Burnley v Sunderland
30/08/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Brentford
13/09/2025 15:00 Crystal Palace v Sunderland
20/09/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Aston Villa
27/09/2025 15:00 Nottingham Forest v Sunderland
04/10/2025 15:00 Manchester United v Sunderland
18/10/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Wolves
25/10/2025 15:00 Chelsea v Sunderland
01/11/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Everton
08/11/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Arsenal
22/11/2025 15:00 Fulham v Sunderland
29/11/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Bournemouth
03/12/2025 20:00 Liverpool v Sunderland
06/12/2025 15:00 Manchester City v Sunderland
13/12/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Newcastle United
20/12/2025 15:00 Brighton v Sunderland
27/12/2025 15:00 Sunderland v Leeds United
30/12/2025 20:00 Sunderland v Manchester City
03/01/2026 15:00 Tottenham v Sunderland
07/01/2026 20:00 Brentford v Sunderland
17/01/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Crystal Palace
24/01/2026 15:00 West Ham United v Sunderland
31/01/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Burnley
07/02/2026 15:00 Arsenal v Sunderland
11/02/2026 20:00 Sunderland v Liverpool
21/02/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Fulham
28/02/2026 15:00 Bournemouth v Sunderland
04/03/2026 20:00 Leeds United v Sunderland
14/03/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Brighton
21/03/2026 15:00 Newcastle United v Sunderland
11/04/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Tottenham
18/04/2026 15:00 Aston Villa v Sunderland
25/04/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Nottingham Forest
02/05/2026 15:00 Wolves v Sunderland
09/05/2026 15:00 Sunderland v Manchester United
17/05/2026 15:00 Everton v Sunderland
24/05/2026 16:00 Sunderland v Chelsea

If that wasn’t enough to make fans squirm, then Sunderland’s run-in will also have supporters diving for cover behind their sofas.

At the end of the season, the Black Cats could be battling for survival against Man United, Everton and Chelsea in their final three games.

Sunderland caused an upset of sorts in the Championship play-off final at Wembley last month, coming back from a goal down to beat favourites Sheffield United 2-1.

On that day, captain Luke O’Nien – who was forced off after just three minutes – was the only player in the starting 11 over the age of 25.

Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips has warned the club that such reliance on youth won’t be enough back in the big time.

“If this team went into the Premier League I think they’d really struggle,” he admitted.

Sunderland will likely have to get some experience in the team

“Let’s be honest about it, you’d love to give them an opportunity but the gulf is so big between the Premier League and the Championship.”

Phillips expects Sunderland to spend big, with the squad already depleted further following Jobe Bellingham’s £31million club-record switch to Borussia Dortmund last week.

He explained: “It was interesting listening to Niall Quinn, having been the chairman, he said it causes all sorts of problems.

“It’s a good problem to have, £210million, but they have to invest it wisely, we’ve seen over the years when clubs go out and buy eight, nine, ten players without really doing their due diligence, without analysing what they need.

“They need to be really clever in the transfer market, they need to bring in four or five players to really strengthen.

“But it’s a great problem to have and it will be really interesting to see who Regis [Le Bris, manager] tries to recruit.

“They’ll have a list now of players they’re working on, but they’ve got a lot of work to do, that’s for sure.”

Premier League Winners 2025/26

Odds Courtesy of talkSPORT BET

Liverpool – 2/1
Man City – 9/4
Arsenal – 9/4
Newcastle – 14/1
Chelsea – 16/1
Man Utd – 33/1
Aston Villa – 33/1
Tottenham – 66/1

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