Sunderland manager David Moyes has warned fans to brace themselves for another relegation battle this season.
The Black Cats have been embroiled in a race for survival each season for a number of years now, and they have also lost their opening two games of the new campaign.
Moyes's side already sit in the bottom three, and the former Manchester United boss does not expect things to be much different this year than previous seasons.
Asked about supporters fearing another season-long struggle, he told BBC Sport: "Well, they would probably be right. That's where they've been every other year for the last four years, so why would it suddenly change?
"I don't think you can hide the facts. People will be flat because they are hoping that something is going to dramatically change - it can't dramatically change, it can't."
Sunderland will continue their search for their first points of the new season away to Southampton on Saturday.
Barney Corkhill
