Sunderland
Another team that seems to survive by the skin of its teeth, Sunderland spent a lot of last season being atrocious before being just good enough to survive. Their flirtation with the relegation zone this year largely depends on the weakness of those around them.
Stars: Jermain Defoe is an ageing striker from a bygone age but he’s the best they’ve got. Defoe is a legacy from a time when most team played with two strikers, usually one tall and one sneaky. Defoe was the sneaky one, but without a larger strike partner he can disappear for games at a time.
