'Second season syndrome is lazy punditry'

"I don't think Sunderland will be anywhere near the relegation zone," says sports journalist Ian Murtagh, despite Regis le Bris' side "entering the unknown" after securing European football. The Black Cats have gone from the third tier of English football to the Premier League, and now the Europa League, in just four years. "Sunderland are entering the unknown in the sense that they won't just be playing 40 to 42 games this season, they will be playing over 50 games," Murtagh explained. "But it is lazy punditry to talk about second season syndrome. "People are casting their minds back to when Ipswich Town qualified for Europe and then were relegated from the top-flight. "But, if you look across Premier League history, only four or five sides have been relegated in their second season - and I don't think Sunderland will be anywhere near the relegation zone. "Let's not forget the most important transfer of the summer in the north east is a non-transfer - Granit Xhaka is staying. How many Newcastle fans are sat there wishing that situation was true for them with Bruno Guimaraes? "I do think Sunderland's hierarchy were considering cashing in on one of their prized assets, like Noah Sadiki or Robin Roefs, back in May. But I think they made a decision to stick with what they've got in the subsequent weeks. "This side can improve. Yes they need to bring in reinforcements, but I actually think they will spend quite big by the end of this window." Hear the full conversation above by pressing play above or listen on BBC Sounds here