Sunderland are unbeaten at home in the Premier League this season, but how do their crowds compare to other top-flight sides?
Incredibly, the Black Cats are yet to taste defeat in 12 home matches since returning to the top-flight, winning seven and drawing five so far and standing as the only team in the division yet to suffer defeat on their own patch.
Unsurprisingly, Sunderland have been drawing big crowds this season. Their average attendance is up to 46,247, which is over 7,000 more than 2024/25, their highest average attendance since the 2001/02 campaign (46,745) and fourth-highest of all-time.
But how does that compare to Sunderland’s Premier League rivals, including Newcastle United?
Sunderland’s average attendance compared to Premier League rivals
Manchester United - 73,960
West Ham United - 62,454
Tottenham Hotspur - 61,007
Liverpool - 60,376
Arsenal - 60,205
Manchester City - 52,342
Everton - 52,131
Newcastle United - 52,055
Sunderland - 46,247
Aston Villa - 41,891
Chelsea - 39,623
Leeds United - 36,714
Brighton - 31,331
Nottingham Forest - 30,494
Wolves - 29,797
Fulham - 27,089
Crystal Palace - 25,028
Burnley - 21,129
Brentford - 17,088
Bournemouth - 11,159
Sunderland’s average attendance this season is the ninth-highest in the Premier League, comfortably ahead of the likes of Aston Villa and Chelsea (per FBref). However, it’s still lower than Newcastle’s at 52,055, though the Magpies’ numbers have dropped off slightly, allowing Everton to move above them recently, with 52,131 per week cramming into their brand new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
As usual, Manchester United top the attendance charts, with Old Trafford boasting an average crowd of 73,960 - more than 11,000 ahead of second-place West Ham, who pull 62,454 fans at their unpopular but vast London Stadium. United are only behind German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund throughout the whole of Europe’s top five leagues when it comes to attendances.
While there are no immediate plans to expand the Stadium of Light, its current capacity gives Sunderland more than enough scope to remain competitive in the average attendance stakes - especially as a side back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017.
What next for Sunderland?
Regis Le Bris’ men will be licking their wounds following a 3-0 defeat at leaders Arsenal on Saturday. However, they cannot afford to sulk too long as they host champions Liverpool on Wednesday, looking to protect their unbeaten home record.
After that, the Black Cats head to Oxford United in the FA Cup, before rounding off their February Premier League schedule at home to Fulham and away at Bournemouth.
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