Jamie Carragher has tipped Sunderland for relegation despite their seventh-place Premier League finish last season
Jamie Carragher has made the surprise prediction that Sunderland will be relegated from the Premier League this season, with the former Liverpool defender concerned about the demands of Europa League football.
Régis Le Bris’ side enjoyed a remarkable first campaign back in the top flight, finishing seventh and securing a place in Europe. That success means Sunderland will now have to cope with a much busier schedule as they balance domestic football with Thursday night fixtures.
Carragher believes that extra workload could leave the Black Cats vulnerable. Asked for a bold prediction for the new season during an appearance on Stick To Football, he said: “I’m going to go Sunderland to go down.”
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The response around the table was immediate. Gary Neville, Ian Wright and former Sunderland manager Roy Keane all reacted with surprise, while former Black Cats midfielder Jill Scott jokingly responded: “I used to like you.”
Carragher then explained that his prediction was less about Sunderland’s quality and more about the demands placed on Le Bris’ squad after qualifying for Europe. He said: “I think they are the one Premier League team who I think could get dragged into it just because they are playing Thursday night football.”
His fellow pundits were far less convinced by the argument. Keane repeatedly dismissed the suggestion before joking that Carragher must have enjoyed a few drinks the previous evening to come up with the prediction.
Sunderland will head into the new season looking to prove Carragher wrong after exceeding expectations throughout 2025-26. Le Bris’ side took 54 points, finished seventh and recorded several eye-catching results against some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
The challenge this season will be different, with Sunderland facing a heavier fixture list and the demands of European travel alongside their domestic commitments. Carragher clearly believes that could have serious consequences, even if the rest of the panel were having none of it.
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