The distinction in feelings at full-time on the Stadium of Gentle was palpable.
Sunderland, having on their return to the Premier League, climbed as much as seventh.
Wolves, by comparability, stay rooted to the underside of the desk and with no win to this point this time period.
Commercial
Regis le Bris’ aspect have loved their joint-best begin to a Premier League season, whereas Wolves have endured their second worst.
So, what’s behind the distinction in outcomes?
Sunderland’s sensible begin to ‘powerful journey’
Given the turbulence on the membership over the past decade, Sunderland followers may very well be forgiven for feeling apprehensive on their return to the Premier League.
Their route again to the highest division has been an extended one, with the Black Cats experiencing back-to-back relegations and spending 4 years in League One.
Even final season’s promotion was dramatic.
Having completed sixteenth the season earlier than, Sunderland upset the chances to beat Sheffield United within the play-off remaining with a last-gasp winner in damage time at Wembley.
Commercial
However there was greater than success to Sunderland’s revival.
There have been fears after the Black Cats made 14 first-team signings this summer season that Le Bris’ aspect might lose the togetherness that helped them earn promotion.
However the Black Cats have greater than maintained the momentum to this point this season.
With 14 factors from eight matches, Sunderland have matched their finest begin to a Premier League marketing campaign.
Not that supervisor Le Bris is taking something without any consideration.
“For me it is only a query of the subsequent recreation,” he informed BBC Sport.
“It is a lengthy journey and a troublesome journey. If we will win factors early, it is good for the arrogance.”
Commercial
The Black Cats’ high quality begin has been constructed on their residence kind, with 10 of their 14 factors coming on the Stadium of Gentle – solely leaders Arsenal have as many.
Maybe probably the most spectacular factor of Sunderland’s kind is that they’ve bucked the pattern of promoted sides in current occasions.
Southampton, Leicester and Ipswich – who have been all relegated final season having earned promotion the season earlier than – managed simply 14 factors between them after eight matches final season. Sunderland have already matched that whole on their very own.
In reality, Sunderland’s factors tally is the very best from a promoted since since Wolves within the 2018-19 marketing campaign.
Commercial
If 40 factors is the benchmark for survival, then Sunderland are already nicely on their solution to security.
Wolves punished for toothless assault
Wolves could also be one level higher off than on the identical stage final season however there are few positives to extract from Saturday’s journey to the North East.
Regardless of the season being solely eight video games previous, they’re already 5 factors from security, at risk of being minimize adrift and have the worst purpose distinction within the division.
They’ve additionally failed to attain in 4 of their eight video games to this point and it’s the 14th event a aspect has had two or fewer factors at this stage, with eight of the earlier 13 ending up relegated.
Commercial
Certainly Wolves are the one membership to not be relegated from that place within the final 5 campaigns.
Whereas Vitor Pereira talked up his gamers’ efficiency after an insipid opening 45 minutes they nonetheless fell quick towards opponents that have been working in League One as just lately as three years in the past.
“Once I look again on the first half, I do not keep in mind good moments,” stated Pereira.
“Within the second half we corrected our moments and in my view we performed half-hour of high-quality soccer and created three or 4 probabilities to attain.
“Within the Premier League you can not lose these moments. However ultimately we concede. Within the final quarter-hour with two strikers we stopped enjoying, we began enjoying the lengthy ball and this isn’t our recreation.”
Commercial
Whereas Pereira penned a brand new contract precisely a month in the past after 4 straight Premier League defeats the knowledge of that might nicely come underneath scrutiny given their plight has barely improved.
The opposite large challenge is that Jorgen Strand Larsen is but to attain a top-flight purpose this time period.
The Norway worldwide has averaged a purpose each 3.5 video games over his profession.
And it was presumed that he was considered as key to the membership steering away from hassle this time period after they rebuffed provides of £50m and £55m for him from Newcastle in the summertime.
He’s but to get going though the blame can hardly be positioned solely on his shoulders for Wolves wanting toothless in assault.