Chaotic Cats learn from big blunders

WELL, well, well. Hands up if you had Sunderland top of the Championship heading into the first international break.

- Chris Dunlavy

No? Me neither. In fact, regular readers may remember the Wearsiders being tipped as an outside bet for relegation in this very column.

Whoops.

Rumours of Sunderland's demise, it seems, have been overstated. Not only are the Black Cats top of the pile, they are the Championship's joint-leading scorers and have shipped just one goal in four outings.

Particularly impressive was a clean sheet against Burnley, who up until that point had battered all and sundry.

They have also coped - so far, at least with the departure of Ipswich-bound Jack Clarke, whose 15 goals last season single-handedly averted relegation in the face of nosediving form, botched recruitment and a hattrick of terrible managerial decisions.

And all of this with a head coach relegated from the French top-flight last season who was roundly derided as some kind of lucky loser following yet another failed pursuit of Will Still. Here's to you, Regis Le Bris.

Now, before we all start scrubbing egg off our eyelids and chowing down on humble pie, some qualification is necessary.