Sunderland were humiliated by Blackburn Rovers on Easter Monday.
Few, if any at all, would’ve predicted Sunderland to lose 5-1 at home to Blackburn Rovers on Monday afternoon.
In fact, many might have tipped Mike Dodds‘ side to beat a struggling Rovers side after returning to winning ways on Friday.
Sunderland earned a 2-0 win against Cardiff City before the weekend.
They looked like their former selves that day; playing with more attacking freedom and potency following a run of seven games without a win.
And Sunderland started positively against Blackburn.
But after 15 minutes, the tide started to turn, after after 30 minutes, the first of five goals went in.
Sunderland 1-5 Blackburn Rovers puts dampener on Mike Dodds parade
Dodds would’ve been hugely relived to get his first win under his belt on Friday.
But Monday’s performance infuriated him, with Dodds having plenty to say in the post-match press conference.
The Black Cats now sit in 13th place of the Championship table and two points behind Bristol City in 12th, with 11 points between Sunderland and the bottom three.
Relegation seems highly improbable with six games remaining.
But the chances of Sunderland finishing strongly and setting the tone for the summer also seems, highly improbable.
Sunderland break 65-year record against Blackburn Rovers on Easter Monday
And it turns out that the defeat vs Blackburn Rovers on Easter Monday was not only a humiliating one, but a record-breaking one too.
After the game, journalist James Copley revealed that the Rovers game was Sunderland’s worst-ever home defeat on Easter Monday and the club’s worst defeat on an Easter Monday since 1959; 65 years ago.
Also, it’s only the third time Sunderland have conceded five at the Stadium of Light.
Blackburn horror show does Black Cats hierarchy no favours
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Kristjaan Speakman has a new manager to hire in the summer, and defeats like the one vs Blackburn Rovers does their chances of finding a top coach no good.
The likes of Will Still and even Steve Cooper will see this result and surely be deterred at the possibility of coming to Wearside.
The current playing squad simply isn’t up to standard and with Jack Clarke set to leave in the summer, potentially along with the likes of Anthony Patterson, the squad will only worsen.
And there’s decreasing faith in Speakman’s transfer acumen following this season, so there’s little hope that Sunderland can put the Clarke and Patterson millions to proper use in the summer.
It’s certainly a crucial summer ahead for the summer, with a lot to fix.