Granit Xhaka is second only to Jack Grealish for assists in the current Premier League campaign, with his latest sending Sunderland into the top four.
When former Gunner Granit Xhaka joined Sunderland over the summer, it’s fair to say the expectation was that he’d moved to a side whose primary focus would be avoiding relegation.
Xhaka effectively admitted as much, saying: “It’s important to experience moments of suffering and solidarity. We’re going to have to suffer a lot in the coming months.”
Yet on Saturday, Xhaka assisted Omar Alderete’s winning goal against Nottingham Forest to send Sunderland into the top four.
The assist was Xhaka’s third in his last four games, having also set up Sunderland’s winner against Brentford and their equaliser against Aston Villa. Only Jack Grealish (four) has provided more assists than Xhaka in the Premier League this season.
On this occasion, Xhaka clipped a free-kick into the penalty area for Alderete to head home from close range for 1-0, which is how the game finished.
Admittedly, Sunderland haven’t had the hardest start to the season. They’re yet to play any of the Premier League’s big-six clubs, and four of their six opponents currently sit in the bottom five of the table.
The only in-form side Sunderland have faced is Crystal Palace, and they did at least come away with a 0-0 draw from Selhurst Park.
But we’ll have a much better idea of where Sunderland are by December 6th, at which point they will have played Manchester United (A), Chelsea (A), Arsenal (H), Liverpool (A), and Manchester City (A).
In the meantime, the objective has been to rack up as many points as possible. With three wins, two draws, and only one defeat, Sunderland have done just that.