Sunderland will return to the Premier League next season after an eight-year absence
Regis Le Bris’ side secured their spot in the top flight with a win over Sheffield United at Wembley last weekend, with Patterson himself putting in a stellar display to help his boyhood club bring to an end an eight-year stint in the Football League.
But while the mood on Wearside ever since has been understandably celebratory, Sunderland will have to buck a worrying recent trend if they are to avoid an immediate return to the Championship. In each of the past two Premier League campaigns, the three sides who have been promoted into the division have subsequently been relegated at the first time of asking.
Nevertheless, speaking after the final whistle at Wembley, Patterson made it clear that he believes Sunderland can find a way of prolonging their stay in the top flight beyond a single season.
What did Anthony Patterson say about playing in the Premier League next season?
Looking ahead to Sunderland’s prospects in the Premier League next term, Patterson said: “I think the togetherness we've got as a group is incredible. I've never seen a group like it and it's got us over the line today - it's been incredible.
“It's going to be an incredible season. We're going to be coming up against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Man United, Man City, and it's just going to be surreal, but it's a challenge all the lads are looking forward to.”
When quizzed on whether Sunderland have what it takes to avoid an immediate return to the Championship, he added: “Definitely. I think we've got the quality that you saw out there today, it was really good, I thought we controlled the second half perfectly, and I think we've got unreal amounts of quality to see what we can do in the Premier League next season.”
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What else has been said about Sunderland’s Premier League hopes next season?
Patterson is not the only Sunderland player to have offered his opinion on the club’s chances in the Premier League. Speaking at Wembley in the aftermath of the Championship play-off final, Patrick Roberts admitted that the top flight represents a significant challenge to the Black Cats, but also suggested that Regis Le Bris’ squad can head into the new season with plenty of confidence.
He said: “Everyone knows it's going to be tough. It's a different beast these days. But we're a big club and everyone can see that with the fans. We’ll have a right go. We wanted to get out of this Championship and we did that, so anything is possible.”
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