"Bournemouth and Sunderland's respective starts to the 2025/26 Premier League campaign have caught many teams by surprise. At the time of writing, both sides have five wins apiece with the Cherries second in the table. Two places back in fourth are high-flying, newly-promoted Sunderland, who pulled off a famous victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last Saturday."
"While the two teams are doing all they can to put the big sides' noses out of joint, they ought to be cheering them on in Europe. The better English teams do in Europe this season, the better chance Bournemouth and Sunderland stand of embarking on major European campaigns of their own in 2026/27. Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi scored again at the weekend (Image credit: Getty Images)"
"Sunderland's only previous foray into European competition lasted two rounds of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the 1970s, while Bournemouth have never appeared in Europe. Both teams currently occupy Champions League qualification places in the Premier League table, but with so many matches still to play, the expectation is that sides with deeper squads will leapfrog them as the season wears on."
Bournemouth and Sunderland have each recorded five wins in the opening nine Premier League fixtures, with Bournemouth second and Sunderland fourth after a notable win at Stamford Bridge. Both clubs have outscored or outpointed several established top sides across the early season fixtures. Historic European involvement is minimal: Sunderland appeared in the 1970s Cup Winners' Cup and Bournemouth have never competed in Europe. Both teams currently sit in Champions League qualification positions, but the calendar and squad depth of bigger clubs create an expectation that those sides could overtake them. Strong English performances in UEFA competitions would improve both clubs' prospects for 2026/27.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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