Sunderland U21s won 7-1 in Europe with Dennis Cirkin, Dan Neil and Luke O’Nien in the side
Sunderland have made an excellent start to the Premier League season, but where does AI predict them to finish come the end of the campaign?
Sunderland have made an excellent start to life back in the Premier League, but they cannot afford to become complacent.
Back in the top flight for the first time since 2016, the Black Cats have taken 19 points and five wins from 11 games so far - losing just twice - to sit fourth, just three points adrift of Manchester City in second.
However, Sunderland are still just nine points ahead of the relegation zone, and know that just one slip of form could see them tumble down the table and into trouble.
That got us thinking, where does AI think the newly promoted Mackems will finish this season? We’ve tasked X’s AI chatbot, Grok, with producing a predicted 2025/26 Premier League table to see where Sunderland end up, and why they do so.
AI’s predicted 2025/26 Premier League table
Position Team Points Goal difference
1 Arsenal 84 +39
2 Man City 81 +37
3 Liverpool 78 +31
4 Chelsea 73 +25
5 Tottenham Hotspur 70 +20
6 Newcastle United 68 +16
7 Manchester United 66 +14
8 Aston Villa 63 +11
9 Brighton 60 +7
10 Crystal Palace 58 +5
11 Brentford 56 +2
12 Bournemouth 54 0
13 Sunderland 51 -5
14 Everton 49 -8
15 West Ham United 46 -11
16 Fulham 43 -15
17 Leeds United 39 -21
18 Burnley 36 -24
19 Nottingham Forest 33 -27
20 Wolves 29 -36
AI predicts fade to safety for Sunderland
Grok on Sunderland: “Sunderland’s sensational early surge—19 points from 11 games—has been the season’s fairy-tale, fuelled by Régis Le Bris’s high-pressing 4-3-3, summer signing Granit Xhaka dictating midfield with veteran composure, and clinical finishing from Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor. A solid defence (just 10 conceded) has underpinned their rise, but the league’s thinnest squad remains the Achilles’ heel. January spending is severely limited by owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus’s self-sustaining model—no big reinforcements incoming. Fixture congestion, especially post-FA Cup, will test depth; expect a February wobble. Underlying metrics (xGA in mid-tier) show sustainability but not dominance. AI projects a second-half fade to 51 points—safe mid-table, not European contention. Momentum meets reality: a valiant effort, but squad disparity caps the dream.”
Grok on the rest of the predicted Premier League table: “Arsenal (84 pts) hold off Manchester City (81) in a tense title race built on defensive solidity and Saka-Gyokeres firepower. Liverpool (78) secure third, with their revamped attack now revolving around summer blockbuster Alexander Isak as the focal point, superbly supported by Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and the emerging generation. Chelsea (73) lock down fourth, Todd Boehly’s endless spending finally delivering consistency.
“The Europa League scrap goes down to the wire: Tottenham (70) edge Newcastle United (68) and a resurgent Manchester United (66), whose January additions fall just short. Aston Villa slip to eighth as fixture congestion bites.
“At the bottom, Wolves are already cut adrift on 29 points. Nottingham Forest and Burnley join them in the drop, while Leeds survive by a whisker. Sunderland’s fairy-tale fades to a safe 13th—proof that momentum alone can’t outrun squad depth over 38 games.”
Continue Reading