Meet the opposition | Sunderland
As Swansea City prepare to take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, we take a closer look at the Black Cats.
What's their story?
Established in 1879, Sunderland were one of the founding members of the Football League in 1890.
They have been English champions on six occasions and victorious in the FA Cup twice, the most recent of those successes coming in 1973 when they produced one of the great shocks in the competition's history by beating Don Revie's Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley Stadium, whilst plying their trade in the second tier of the English pyramid.
After spending much of the current century occupying a place within the Premier League, recent times have seen Sunderland drop into League One for a four-year stint.
Play-off success under Alex Neil ended that spell in the third tier and saw them return to the Championship last season, where Tony Mowbray continued their upward trajectory, helping them reach the play-offs.
How's their form?
Sunderland are within sight of the play-off places but an inconsistent run of form means they currently sit 10th in the table, seven points adrift.
The Black Cats have won two of their last seven games, and it has been their home form keeping them in the hunt for a top-six place.
Eight of their last nine league wins have come at the Stadium of Light, and they have won just once on their travels in the Championship since September.
Who's the gaffer?
Mike Dodds. The 37-year-old has stepped in as interim boss of the Black Cats following Michael Beale's departure earlier this week.
This is the third time he has been placed in caretaker charge, having also done so following the exits of Lee Johnson and Tony Mowbray.
Dodds started his coaching career with Coventry City aged just 18 and went on to become academy manager at Birmingham City, where he played a role in the development of the likes of Demarai Gray and Jude Bellingham.
He joined Sunderland as head of individual player development in 2021.
Who's the captain?
Luke O'Nien has been handed the armband this season having put pen to paper on a new long-term contract at the Stadium of Light.
The defender or defensive midfielder started his career in the youth ranks at Watford, making a solitary league appearance for the Hornets, while also having a short loan spell at Wealdstone.
He joined Wycombe after a successful trial in 2015, and went on to help the Chairboys secure promotion to League One.
He joined Sunderland at the conclusion of the 2017-18 season and has made over 200 league appearances for the Black Cats.
O'Nien helped them secure promotion from League One and EFL Trophy success in 2022, and made the step up to Championship level with a number of assured displays.
He was sent off in the last meeting with the Swans on Wearside after seeing red for a challenge on Ollie Cooper in a game the Swans won 3-1.
Who are the key men?
Former Leeds United youngster Jack Clarke has once again been in magnificent form with 15 goals and four assists to his name already. He has continued to be a livewire presence after excelling last term, although he is a doubt for this weekend’s game with a foot injury.
He joined the Black Cats for an undisclosed fee from Premier League Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2022 after a successful loan spell with the club as they secured promotion from League One.
A key part of that promotion winning team, Clarke is an integral figure in the Black Cats line-up, showing signs of the ability that persuaded then-Tottenham manger Jose Mourinho to sanction a £10 million pound transfer to the White Hart Lane club in 2019.
Goalkeeper Anthony Patterson has been a mainstay in the Sunderland team since returning from a loan spell with Notts County halfway through the 2021-22 campaign.
The academy product has played every Championship fixture since the Black Cats returned to the second tier, and he won his first cap for England Under-21s last summer.
A terrific shotstopper with sound handling, Patterson is a reliable presence between the sticks and is fast closing in on 100 appearances for Sunderland.
Northern Ireland international Trai Hume has also been a near ever-present for Sunderland this season, forming a defensive partnership with Dan Ballard.
The 21-year-old, who was born in Ballymena, had spells in the youth ranks with Ballymena United and Linfield and made his senior debut for the latter.
He played in the Champions League and Europa League qualifying rounds before moving to Sunderland in January 2022.
Hume helped the Black Cats achieve promotion from League One later that year, and featured regularly in the Championship last term as they got to the play-offs.