Can Sunderland crack the curse of not winning a Monday match in the Premier League for 12 years?

Sunderland fans be warned - you haven’t won a Premier League fixture on a Monday for 12 years.



That is a ruinous run which extends to a staggering 18 games and dates back to April Fools’ Day, 2002.



It doesn’t bode well for Wearside’s current vintage, for their next two outings are indeed Monday matches.

Monday malaise: Gus Poyet and Sunderland are bidding to end a 12-year run without a Monday victory

Mind the gap: Sunderland are four points adrift of safety with nine games to play

Mersey beat-en: They lost 2-1 at Liverpool in their last league outing

Yellow peril: Ki Sung-Yeung was on target for Sunderland at Anfield but they slipped to a fourth defeat in five

First up is the visit of West Ham this evening before a trip to Spurs in seven days’ time. And with Gus Poyet’s men currently four points adrift of safety with nine games to play, they must find a remedy to their Monday malaise.



For it was under the care of Peter Reid that the Black Cats last tasted victory. Leicester City were the visitors to the Stadium of Light and the scoring was complete inside 18 minutes.



Old boys: Peter Reid was manager and Claudio Reyna scored twice the last time Sunderland won a Premier League match on a Monday

Match-winner: Reyna scored twice in the 2-1 victory over Leicester in April, 2002

American international Claudio Reyna gave the hosts a third-minute lead before Paul Dickov levelled soon after. But it was Reyna who sealed an all-important win for Sunderland as they finished the campaign just one place outside of the relegation zone.



They would almost certainly settle for the same return this time around after a winless run of five league games.

