With Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele admits the Black Cats are eyeing the possibility of gatecrashing the European places following an odds-defying return to the Premier League.

With six games remaining in 2025-26, Regis Le Bris' men sit 10th in the table and have 46 points on the board, meaning they are just two points behind sixth-placed Chelsea.

The Black Cats need one more win to mathematically confirm their top-flight status for 2026-27, though in truth, that has never been in any doubt after a fast start to the season propelled them into the top half of the table.

A win at Aston Villa on Sunday, meanwhile, would see Sunderland record their best Premier League points tally since 2000-01 (57). Their current total is already their best since accumulating 47 in 2010-11.

And Mukiele, whose deflected strike proved enough to earn a 1-0 win over struggling Tottenham last time out, says Le Bris' side will not let up from here.

"We know we have six games left and we know we have to try and reach something different because we know our target at the beginning of the season is done now," he said. 

"With this team and this quality that we have, we can reach something else. We will fight for this until the end of the season."

Midfielder Granit Xhaka has been a key man since arriving at the Stadium of Light from Bayer Leverkusen, and after a swathe of signings made their way to Wearside last summer, Mukiele says his experience has been invaluable.

"We work hard and we have a young team with a lot of energy but also players like Granit who have experience of the Premier League," he said. 

"Even if it's my first season here, with what Granit shows us in training or a game or if we lose or win, it's a positive what he brings to us."

Villa are fourth in the table after drawing 1-1 with Nottingham Forest in their most recent league game, three points clear of Liverpool, who occupy the final Champions League spot.

They also have a Europa League semi-final against Forest to look forward to, after Thursday's 4-0 win over Bologna sealed a 7-1 aggregate triumph in the last eight.

Villa have never lost to a newly promoted team in the Premier League under Unai Emery (W14 D5), with their most recent such defeat coming against Fulham in October 2022, in Steven Gerrard's final game in charge.

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Aston Villa – John McGinn 

McGinn has been involved in five goals in his last six Premier League home appearances for Aston Villa (three goals, two assists). 

Villa have won 58% of their games with the Scotsman in the starting XI this season (14/24), compared to only 25% without him (2/8).

Sunderland – Chris Rigg

Only Wolves (12) have had players of more different nationalities (excluding own goals) score in the Premier League this season than Sunderland (11), though the Black Cats are the only team without an English scorer.

Rigg has only had nine shots all season in the Premier League, but that is still the most of any English player in Sunderland's ranks – could he find himself on the scoresheet on Sunday? 

MATCH PREDICTION – ASTON VILLA WIN

Aston Villa ended 2025 on a run of 12 victories in 14 Premier League games (L2), but since the turn of the year, they have only picked up 16 points in 13 games (W4 D4 L5), putting them 14th in the form table for 2026.

Sunderland, meanwhile, have won their last two Premier League games and are looking to record three consecutive top-flight victories for the first time since a run of four in April and May 2014. This will be their 148th top-flight game since then.

But Villa are still favoured by the Opta supercomputer on home soil, where they are unbeaten in their last six league meetings with Sunderland (W2 D4).

This will be the Black Cats' first visit to Villa Park since a 2-1 loss in the Championship in November 2017, and their first in the Premier League since a 2-2 draw in August 2015.

Overall, Villa have lost just one of their last 13 league games against Sunderland (W6 D6), going down 3-1 at the Stadium of Light in January 2016.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Aston Villa – 63.6%

Sunderland – 17%

Draw – 19.4%