Sunderland headed into the international break with just one win from their opening four Premier League games of the season.
Sunderland played seven games across three competitions before the international break, and those various fixtures have given a clear indication of where the Black Cats' season is heading and where they must improve following the break.
Sunderland have endured a mixed start to the Premier League campaign, leaving Regis Le Bris' side sat 14th in the top flight table after one win, one draw and three losses from their opening five.
In other competitions, Sunderland advanced in the Carabao Cup with a comfortable win over Premier League rivals Hull City and enjoyed a historic Europa League victory over Eredivisie leaders AZ Alkmaar.
Particularly with their Premier League position, that does not tell the whole story of Sunderland's start to the season, which has left the Black Cats with real promise for the campaign ahead following the international break.
Sunderland players celebrate Enzo Le Fee's penalty against AZ Alkmaar (Action Images via Reuters)Sunderland Show Promise At Start Of Season
The opening weekend defeat at Ipswich Town can be classed as shaking off the cobwebs and was an important early wake-up call for Le Bris' side regarding the quality every team possesses in the top flight.
Following the Ipswich defeat, four impressive performances in their own rights have followed in the Premier League, which bode well for the rest of the campaign despite the Black Cats only gaining four from a possible 12 points in those outings.
In Sunderland's 1-0 home win over Fulham, the Black Cats showed that when the two best aspects of their gamestyle combine, being defensive resolution and clinicality in attack, they are a formidable foe for any opposition and were justly rewarded with the three points.
Then at Brentford, Sunderland fought back as a unit to secure a point against one of the most difficult opponents the Premier League has to offer.
However, the following two defeats to reigning champions Arsenal and Manchester City, gave the greatest indication as to what can come from Sunderland in the next stages of the season.
Sunderland did not deserve to lose to Arsenal after taking the game to the title holders, whose often-impregnable defence would certainly have been breached had it not been for David Raya's goliath goalkeeping.
Action from Sunderland vs Arsenal earlier in the season (Action Images via Reuters)At the Etihad, it was a different story from the Gunners' defeat, which tells the other perspective of play, but one that will also breed strong belief in the Sunderland dressing room for the rest of the season.
In attack, hat-trick hero Brian Brobbey and creator-in-chief Enzo Le Fée were in inspired form, helping City notch three past Gianluigi Donnarumma, only for Sunderland's often-sturdy defence to ship five goals, with some self-inflicted errors at the back helping City to a hard-fought victory.
Sunderland have shown they can create, score and keep clean sheets in various outings against strong opposition, but now the onus is on Le Bris' side to combine those outputs into the same 90 minutes.
The tale of Sunderland's start suggests that if the Black Cats can return to their resolute defensive ways, which were the springboard for their seventh-placed success last season, and continue to employ the clinical and creative edge seen against the Citizens to turn those prideful performances into points, then Le Bris' side will go on to have a successive, vastly successful season.
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