Mid-season report: Sunderland

When the situation looked helpless, by some minor miracle Sunderland were able to retain their Premier League status last term.

This time around, manager Gus Poyet was eager to stress that he did not want his side relying on such heroics.

Here, Sports Mole has assessed how the Black Cats have fared during the opening five months of the 2014-15 Premier League campaign.

August

After a busy summer in the transfer window that saw seven players arrive and 15 depart, Sunderland began the new Premier League season in underwhelming fashion with two draws and a defeat. A sign of things to come, if ever there was one.

The Black Cats snatched a point at West Bromwich Albion on the opening day before fighting back to share the spoils with Manchester United at the Stadium of Light as Jack Rodwell struck to cancel out Juan Mata's opener.

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Despite taking a point off the former champions, that draw with United failed to lift Poyet's side, who finished the month with a 1-0 loss at newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers.

Meanwhile, having gone all the way to the final last season, Sunderland cruised into the third round of the League Cup thanks to a comfortable 3-0 triumph at Birmingham City.

September

The team's inability to turn draws into wins was evident in September as they shared points with Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley and Swansea City.

An entertaining 2-2 draw with Spurs kicked off the month, while stalemates against Burnley and Swansea kept Sunderland in the wrong half of the standings.

Their disappointment was compounded midway through the month when their participation in the League Cup was ended by a 2-1 defeat at home to Stoke City.

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October

It took until October 4 for the side to pick up their first league win of the season, with a brace from Steven Fletcher guiding them towards a 3-1 victory at home to Stoke.

With a renewed air of optimism around the club, their hopes of climbing up the standings were dashed in amazing circumstances the following weekend as an 8-0 hammering at Southampton left Gus Poyet lost for words.

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There was an improvement of sorts in their next game when they put up a fight against Arsenal, but a 2-0 loss brought down the curtain on a mixed month for the Wearsiders.

November

After a stuttering start to the season, Sunderland enjoyed an unbeaten November that included an impressive draw with Chelsea.

The month got underway with a 3-1 win at fellow strugglers Crystal Palace before draws against Everton and Leicester City continued to keep the points ticking over.

Their goalless draw at home to league leaders Chelsea came in their final fixture, making the Black Cats the first team this season to stop the Blues from scoring.

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December

The final month of the year began with a demoralising 4-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City, Sunderland's eighth reverse of the season. However, draws with Liverpool and West Ham United respectively soon saw the Black Cats build some momentum.

Their biggest match of the campaign so far came at St James' Park on December 21 when they made the short trip to bitter rivals Newcastle United. Having found points hard to come by, Gus Poyet's side took home all three thanks to a dramatic 1-0 win.

With the game looking as if it would be heading for a goalless draw, Adam Johnson popped up to score the winner in the final minute and hand his team a vital victory. It was the fourth time in a row that Sunderland had beaten their nearest and dearest.

But this is Sunderland. No sooner had they beaten Newcastle that they were losing 3-1 at Hull City in their very next match before being held to a 0-0 draw by Aston Villa - a fitting end to the year.

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Star player so far: Steven Fletcher

Must do better: Jack Rodwell

Where they need to strengthen in January: Attack

Position at start of 2015: 14th

Mid-season Grade: C

To see Sunderland's remaining fixtures in 2014-15, click here.