Four games, four wins. Sunderland could not have asked for a better start to the new Championship campaign, and have taken a maximum 12 points from their opening quartet of matches so far, meaning that they currently sit at the top of the second tier table.

Over the course of that remarkable run they have scored 10 goals and conceded just one, with Luke O’Nien putting the ball into his own net during the closing stages of Saturday’s 3-1 victory over Portsmouth. That tiny blemish aside, the Black Cats have got out of the blocks in near-perfect fashion, and for many, ambitions and thoughts have tentatively shifted towards the possibility of a promotion charge.

Certainly, that is the view of ex-Sunderland forward Don Goodman. Speaking to Sunderland Nation earlier in the week, he said: “Before a ball was kicked, I wasn’t sure that Sunderland would be in the mix for a top six finish. Having said all of that, I had no clue what to expect from at least 70% of the teams and I would say that this season’s Championship gives clubs like Sunderland a much better chance.

“I think that last season was probably the strongest top end as a collective. I’m not saying that they were the best teams I’ve ever seen in the Championship, the four of them that were up there contesting that automatic promotion, but what I am saying is that, as a group of four, I’ve never seen anything as strong.

“They were four brilliant teams and ultimately one of them had to miss out and that was Leeds United. I don’t believe the Championship is as strong this time around. My point is that I think there’s a real opportunity for quite a few clubs that some might not have fancied, like a Sunderland, to have a real good go and it couldn’t have started any better.

“I know they’ve lost Jack Clarke and I think he’d be a miss to anybody at this level, but look at how well Romaine Mundle has done since Jack has gone. He’s a brilliant, brilliant player but I’ve got no doubt that they can advance forward and make progress without him. At this stage, I’d be optimistic for Sunderland. It’s still very early and there’ll be tougher tests to come.”