Sunderland ranked among the top 20 Premier League points scorers

Sunderland could be set for another year in the Championship after a stuttering spell under former manager Michael Beale saw them drop out of the play-off places.

The 43-year-old lasted 12 games before being sacked by the Black Cats last month, with assistant coach, Mike Dodds, taking interim charge for the remainder of the season.

The Wearside club are now eight points off sixth-placed Hull City in the current standings, needing to be almost picture-perfect in their remaining 12 games to end their seven-year exile from the Premier League.

But, the Black Cats have enjoyed some success throughout the 16 seasons they have featured in England’s top flight, and rank among the most successful teams to feature in the Premier League in terms of points scored since its formation in 1992.

Sunderland ranked among the top 20 Premier League points scorers

While a number of Sunderland’s recent seasons in the Premier League have not been remembered fondly, they have still managed to put a fair few points on the board.

It is no surprise that Manchester United lead the table, having amassed 2485 from 1216 games so far, over 200 points in front of second-placed Arsenal, followed by Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City.

But the Black Cats find themselves in good company in the overall standings, sitting in 18th place with a total of 618 points from their 609 top flight matches, ahead of the likes of Bolton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and current Premier League side, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, recent seasons in the Premier League have them top of the wrong table concerning the statistics available, having the highest negative goal difference of the 51 sides to have played in the top flight with -292, with the Baggies 30 goals better off in second place.

Of those 609 games, they would lose 296, with their biggest defeat coming in an 8-0 thrashing away to Southampton in 2014. While the majority of records achieved by the Wearside club during their time in the Premier League are ones they would not like to be associated with, they have enjoyed some good times in the top flight.

Sunderland’s best season in the Premier League

Of the 16 seasons the club spent in the top division of English football, the Black Cats’ most successful came back in the 1999/00 season under the guidance of Peter Reid.

Sunderland finished 7th that season with a total of 58 points, their joint-best finish in the Premier League, which was achieved the season after but with one less point, before Reid left the club in October 2002.

Kevin Phillips would win the Golden Boot that season ahead of Alan Shearer and Dwight Yorke, scoring 30 times for the Black Cats including three goals in the two games against fierce rivals Newcastle United.

The biggest win of that campaign would see them thump Derby County 5-0 at Pride Park, with Phillips scoring his only hat-trick of the season against the Rams, with Gavin McCann and Niall Quinn popping up with the other two goals.

The Irish striker would all-but one of Sunderland’s fixtures that season, making the joint-most appearances that season alongside goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen on 37.