SOCCER: Sunderland make home a fortress as possible place in Europe beckons

Sunderland find themselves in rare company this season, sharing a list with some of Europe’s top clubs as they chase a Premier League record and a potential spot in continental football next season.

Their 3-0 home victory over Burnley on Monday kept them as the only team in the Premier League with an unbeaten home record this season—a feat that puts them alongside European champions Paris Saint-Germain and giants like Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Juventus, who have also yet to lose at home.

The win also lifted Sunderland to eighth place in the league standings, keeping hopes alive for a European spot next season.

Despite the success, manager Regis Le Bris emphasized that the team’s primary focus remains survival in the Premier League.

“For me, the target remains the same,” he said. “The first target is around 40 points, maybe more. The league is tough. For us, go to 40 and see if we can get more.”

His players, however, are dreaming bigger, setting their sights on competing in European club competitions, possibly even the Champions League.

“We want to reach the top,” said midfielder Noah Sadiki. “If we can get top six or top five. There are a lot of matches coming, so we have to focus on the next game.”

Promoted sides usually fight just to stay in the Premier League, but Sunderland have bucked that trend by turning the Stadium of Light into a fortress.

They now hold the longest home unbeaten start to a top-flight season by a newly promoted team since Nottingham Forest went unbeaten at home during the 1977-78 campaign, the year they won the old First Division title.

In the Premier League era, Birmingham City hold the record for a newly promoted team with a 15-match unbeaten home run in 2009-10. Sunderland have played 12 home games this season, and Le Bris stressed the importance of maintaining their run.

“Because we know that the connection with our fans is key,” he said. “We are a newly promoted side, and we feel that we can change the momentum.”

-Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus/Reuters