Sunderland's Europa League campaign resumes this week as they lock horns with Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia.
The Black Cats have endured a tough start to the campaign as they come into this game bottom of the Premier League with five points from nine games.
The team appears to be bound by the classic "second season syndrome" as they search for the kind of form that led them to such an impressive league finish last season.
Their form is poor, with Regis Le Bris' side winning just three of their last ten games. Two of those wins came in Europe, mind, where they beat AZ Alkmaar (1-0) and Torreense (2-1), before drawing 1-1 with Lech Poznan last time out.
Their form on home soil reads slightly more positively, with the team winning four, drawing one and losing two of seven games in all competitions.
Dinamo Zagreb, meanwhile, are 18th in the Europa League standings with four points from three games. The Croatian outfit drew 0-0 with Hapoel Beer Sheva in their opening game before recording a 1-0 win over Anderlecht. In their latest European outing, they were beaten 2-4 by Dutch side Nijmegen.
Their form in all competitions is a mixed bag, having won three and lost three of their last six games, with two of those defeats occurring in the league - including in their most recent match.
Their away form does not paint the rosiest picture either, with two wins, one draw and three defeats from their last six games on the road.
While Sunderland remain vulnerable, Dinamo Zagreb might not be the team to take advantage of their frailty. Premier League teams have remained fairly resilient in the Europa League despite their domestic struggles and we think Sunderland will follow that trend here.
Sunderland 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
