Regis Le Bris and his staff would have perhaps set more realistic targets before the start of their maiden campaign overseeing a club in the Premier League, but now those objectives have shifted since Sunderland now occupy a Champions League spot.
Losing just 2 matches from 11 league games heading into the November international break has rewritten the expected script attached to the apparent gulf between the Championship and the top flight.
Their unbeaten record at The Stadium of Light has remained resolute even when league leaders Arsenal seem poised to disrupt their flow.
Granit Xhaka’s return to Premier League football and his assigned role as Sunderland captain attracted all the plaudits, and rightly so.
He has talismanically helped Sunderland stay well clear of the relegation zone, while his midfield accomplice has also contributed to Sunderland defying expectations this season.
Noah Sadiki, 20, signed from Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise reportedly for a £15 million price tag, which came days after club-record signing Habib Diarra entered the door Wearside.
The latter has been sidelined since September after undergoing groin surgery, which has granted Sadiki a largely uncontested starting spot.
Sadiki played a key role in his previous side’s historic domestic success as a teenager, amassing 108 appearances in just two seasons.
A quite novel addition to the Sunderland ranks has somewhat eclipsed his transfer fee already, and he could be on the radar of several European clubs given his ceiling and profile, despite penning a five-year contract upon joining The Black Cats.
These two specific individuals have been picked strategically to fit the Sunderland project and bulk the squad with quality players.
Was there a more methodical approach to Sunderland’s incomings than meets the eye?
How have Sadiki and Xhaka blossomed into the **Premier League**’s standout duo?
Sunderland have averaged 43% possession in the league this season and have the second least touches in the opposition box.
They may seem less reserved and more willing to stamp their authority on games than those that have been promoted before them, but the underlying reality is that they don’t command much of the ball.
Nonetheless, this has had no bearing on their outcomes this season as their physicality and intent to finish attacking phases quickly has propelled them to fourth place.
Buoyed by an interchangeable and resolute back four consisting of existing players proving their worth like Dan Ballard, and worthy recruits who have seamlessly integrated like Nordi Mukiele, the midfield also contribute to the significant team quality of not leaking goals.
Sadiki has played in every Premier League game this season and ranks 5th highest in interceptions in the top flight.
While Xhaka adopts a deeper-lying role demanding defensive prowess, Sadiki’s buccaneering and energetic engine compliments the Switzerland international, and ensures any Premier League midfielder has to keep on their toes.
Another attribute the scouting department had been keen on locating is the ability to carry the ball courageously, and Sadiki fitted the bill. Before the Arsenal game, he had the highest take-on success rate of any Premier League player.
Considering Xhaka’s abilities, Sadiki’s explosive runs and ball-carrying skills plug the gaps in Xhaka’s repertoire and allow the latter to leverage his measured experience.
So, perhaps the recruitment was not just about splashing the cash on quantity and whoever stepped forward or voiced interest, but more about constructing a balanced team without conflicting individuals.
Sadiki’s upcoming international duties in Africa
Sunderland are one of a number of top flight sides who will lose key players to AFCON this winter as midfielder Noah Sadiki will likely feature with DR Congo.
This week, Sadiki has been called-up for international duty with DR Congo, who are still bidding for World Cup qualification in their latest fixtures in Morocco.
Nine sides from Africa automatically qualified for next year’s World Cup, while the four best second-place finishers compete in the coming days to decide who will bolster their chances of featuring in the United States’ 2026 spectacle.
DR Congo play Cameroon on Thursday in a semi-final while a potential final would grant them a place in a six-team inter-confederation tournament. Should they prevail in that, they would then book their spot in the World Cup.
Sadiki made his senior debut for DR Congo in 2024 and his Sunderland teammate Arthur Masuaku will accompany him.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka also represents the nation, yet Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa remains ruled out from international duty through injury.