The 2026/27 campaign keeps going from bad to worse for Sunderland after they were beaten 3-1 by newly-promoted Coventry City on Saturday afternoon.
Regis Le Bris‘ side are currently rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table after nine matches, with one win, two draws, and six defeats to their name.
After finishing seventh in the league and securing European football in the 2025/26 campaign, the club’s run of form this term has been incredibly disappointing.
Players who caught the eye with their sublime performances last season have looked like shadows of themselves in recent months, including captain Granit Xhaka.
How Granit Xhaka’s Sunderland performances have regressed
Sunderland hit the jackpot when they signed the Switzerland international from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025, as he arrived with just shy of 300 appearances for Arsenal and a Bundesliga title under his belt.
Xhaka was a complete star for the Black Cats in the Premier League with his performances last term, producing seven goal contributions and winning 60% or more of his ground and aerial duels.
Unfortunately, though, his displays have regressed in the current campaign. He has not been as effective aerially, losing 56% of his duels, and has lost possession 5.2 more times per match on average.
|
Granit Xhaka (Premier League) |
25/26 |
26/27 |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
34 |
9 |
|
Goals |
1 |
0 |
|
Assists |
6 |
0 |
|
Pass accuracy |
84% |
83% |
|
Possession lost per game |
12.6 |
17.8 |
|
Duel success rate |
60% |
61% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
62% |
44% |
The left-footed star is giving the ball away more frequently whilst contributing less at the top end of the pitch, with no goal contributions in nine games, and this shows that he has not been as effective as he was last term.
Xhaka, however, has still won 61% of his overall duels and averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions per match for his side, which means that he has not been completely ineffective.
Sunderland have a bigger problem than Granit Xhaka
As frustrating as the Sunderland captain’s regression has been this season, Le Bris has an even bigger problem in his squad with one of the midfielder’s teammates.
Central defender Omar Alderete’s performances have been a bigger problem than Xhaka’s because of how dismal his defensive work has been throughout the season.
The Paraguay international was sent off against Coventry last time out for two bookings within five minutes in stoppage time, despite the game being all-but-over at 3-1 by that point.
It was only his second start in the Premier League this season, despite starting 32 times in the 2025/26 campaign, and he may not get another one any time soon.
The £10m defender won 54% of his duels and averaged 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game for the Black Cats as they had the fourth-best defensive record in the league last term, conceding 48 goals.
His performances have dropped off a cliff in the current campaign, though, as he has failed to win a single ground duel or make any tackles in 210 minutes of action across four appearances.
|
26/27 Premier League |
Alderete |
Xhaka |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
4 |
9 |
|
Tackles per game |
0.0 |
1.6 |
|
Interceptions per game |
0.5 |
1.1 |
|
Dribbled past per game |
0.3x |
0.2x |
|
Ground duel success rate |
0% |
66% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
46% |
44% |
|
Fouls committed per game |
1.3 |
0.7 |
The former Getafe star has lost all six of his ground duels in his four outings in the division so far, whilst he has made more fouls (five) than he has made tackles and interceptions (two) for Sunderland.
His red card against the Sky Blues summed up his season so far for Le Bris’ side, as he failed to win his duels and committed two fouls that gave the referee a decision to make.
The 29-year-old colossus was a reliable performer, as evidenced by his aforementioned statistics, in the Premier League for the club in his first season in England, but he has looked like a shadow of his former self.
Alderete has been a bigger problem than Xhaka, who contributed more to the team defensively, and he may be on the lookout for a new club in January unless he can turn his form around.
The central defender looks like a liability at the back for the Black Cats, given his defensive statistics and his red card last time out, and that may eventually cost him his place in the squad.
