Sat 21st Nov - Stadium of Light
Gordon: Confident
Sunderland goalkeeper Craig Gordon is confident he and his team-mates will avoid a relegation battle in the Premier League this season.
The Black Cats finished 15th last term after making their return to the top flight, but Roy Keane's men were only three points clear of the drop zone.
Gordon, though, is confident Sunderland will comfortably survive this term after manager Keane spent £30million in the summer transfer market.
And Scotland international Gordon believes Sunderland - who currently sit in 13th position - are capable of improvements.
"We haven't set ourselves targets as far as positions for the end of the season, but we do want to improve on last season and get as high up the league as we possibly can," said Gordon.
"We have brought in a number of players again this season, and it will take time. But we are getting there.
"It will take its time, but we are determined to improve as a team and get better and finish as high up this league as we can."
And Gordon has pointed to the experience of the likes of signings Pascal Chimbonda, George McCartney, Anton Ferdinand, Steed Malbranque, Djibril Cisse and El-Hadji Diouf as a reason for optimism at the Stadium of Light.
He said: "For some of the lads who have come in this season and have already played in the Premier League, that's not such a big step.
"We do have a bit more experience in the squad now, and that should help settle the team and get us pointing in the right direction more quickly."

Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal - Le Tissier
Burnley 1-1 Aston Villa - O'Neill
Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal - Wenger
Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal - Bruce
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland - Thompson
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland - Redknapp
Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland - Bruce
Clarke hits back at Bruce
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 28th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Wigan vs Sunderland |
| Sunday 6th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 12th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Portsmouth |
| Tuesday 15th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Sunderland vs Aston Villa |
| Saturday 19th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Man City vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 26th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Everton |
| Monday 28th December | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Blackburn vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 9th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Bolton |
| Saturday 16th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Chelsea vs Sunderland |
| Wednesday 27th January | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Everton vs Sunderland |
| Monday 1st February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Sunderland vs Stoke |
| Saturday 6th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Wigan |
| Tuesday 9th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Portsmouth vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 20th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Sunderland |
| Saturday 27th February | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Sunderland vs Fulham |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 21st November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 1 - 0 Arsenal | |
| Saturday 7th November | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Tottenham 2 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 2 - 2 West Ham | |
| Tuesday 27th October | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Sunderland 0 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Saturday 24th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Birmingham 2 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 17th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 1 - 0 Liverpool | |
| Saturday 3rd October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Man Utd 2 - 2 Sunderland | |
| Sunday 27th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 5 - 2 Wolverhampton | |
| Tuesday 22nd September | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Sunderland 2 - 0 Birmingham | |
| Saturday 19th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Burnley 3 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 12th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 4 - 1 Hull | |
| Saturday 29th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Stoke 1 - 0 Sunderland | |
| Monday 24th August | |
| Carling Cup | |
| Norwich 1 - 4 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 22nd August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 2 - 1 Blackburn | |
| Tuesday 18th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Sunderland 1 - 3 Chelsea | |
| Saturday 15th August | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Bolton 0 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 8th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Hearts 1 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Wednesday 5th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Durham City 1 - 4 Sunderland | |
| Tuesday 4th August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Peterborough 0 - 2 Sunderland | |
| Saturday 1st August | |
| Friendly Match | |
| Celtic 1 - 2 Sunderland | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Manchester City | 12 | 21 |
| 7 | Liverpool | 13 | 20 |
| 8 | Sunderland | 13 | 20 |
| 9 | Stoke City | 13 | 19 |
| 10 | Burnley | 13 | 17 |
Pictures from Saturday's action where Liverpool draw with Man City and Arsenal lose away.
Bristol City fan Hannah Shine was strutting her as the Soccerette in the Soccer AM studios this week.
Preston North End fan Hazel Fox was strutting her stuff in the Soccer AM studios this week.
Steve Bruce has expressed his delight at how quickly Paulo da Silva has settled at Sunderland.
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce insists he is in no rush to add to his squad in the January transfer window.
A second-half goal from Darren Bent was enough to give Sunderland a shock 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
Steve Bruce feels that Sunderland have put their run of bad luck to rest after beating Arsenal.
Chelsea continued their relentless march at the top of the table as Arsenal lost to Sunderland and Manchester City held Liverpool.