Sunderland have unquestionably gotten off to a better start to the season than Aston Villa. Through four matches, the Black Cats have secured two wins and a draw to earn seven points. The RĂ©gis Le Bris side has also faced a like opponent in Brentford, in which Sunderland won 2-1.
Villa are now in a position in which they realistically need to secure points. There is, of course, a long way to go between now and May. Even so, the gap can easily become insurmountable in the Premier League. Perhaps more importantly, Unai Emery's side is going to be facing an uphill battle as it tries to get back into the race for Champions League.
After the latest Carabao Cup exit, the club simply needs something to go right and to provide some form of positive momentum. There are a lot of negative talking points, and supporters are showing increased frustration regarding the start of the campaign.
To now be in a position in which a win has to be secured away from Villa Park leaves the club in a precarious position. This is part of the obstacle that has been placed that must now be overcome.
This is, however, what needs to be done now. While blatantly seeking to overthrow the established order of what is being preserved by the powers that be, the established protection of the status of the 'big six' has certainly made life difficult for Villa.
Potential for Aston Villa
It will take an even greater amount of effort to reverse fortunes in B6. In the event of a draw or even a loss, Villa could potentially be looking to make some panic moves once the January deadline comes in order to breathe some life into a season that would be on life support.
These types of scenarios can be avoided, though, with a win against Sunderland and continued improved play following the upcoming EPL match.