LAMBERT TALKS SAFC

Former Norwich and Aston Villa (among others) manager Paul Lambert was asked about Sunderland's prospects this season and whether the're already in a relegation fight. We spoke to Lambert via football betting site BetVictor.

GET POINTS ON THE BOARD

"Are Sunderland in a relegation battle? I wouldn't say so right now, because it's still early in the season. But they'll need to start winning soon. If you get a run of fixtures against the top six, where do you get the points? So they need to start winning, but I wouldn't say they're in a full relegation battle yet. It's still early, and the manager did a really good job getting them promoted."

SOLIDIFY

"Given the size of the club, they don't want to go back down and become a yo-yo club. If they stay in the Premier League, they can build again next year. They're in a bit of a fight, but not in full relegation trouble yet."

REST PLAYERS IN EUROPE

"Yeah, Sunderland would have to do that to protect their Premier League status, both financially and for the prestige of the club. You don't want to lose that. Europe is tough. You play against different styles, techniques, crowds, plus the travel. So if it comes down to it, I think they'll prioritize the league and start resting in Europe."