The Black Cats host QPR on Saturday in the final game of the regular campaign before their play-off semi-final first leg six days later.
Sunderland have faltered in recent weeks but Regis Le Bris is confident his side will get it right when it matters.
Here are four key questions that will be answered in the next fortnight:
WHO WILL SUNDERLAND FACE IN THE PLAY-OFFS?
Five teams are still in with a shout of finishing fifth and setting up a semi-final against Sunderland.
Bristol City are currently fifth and will stay there if they beat Preston, but Coventry, Millwall, Blackburn and Middlesbrough could all end up facing the Black Cats in the play-offs depending on final day results.
Who do Sunderland want?
Well Bristol City have a superb home record, only bettered by the league’s top three sides, but have won just four of their 23 games on the road this season.
Coventry are equally as strong at home and shaky away. Both the Robins and the Sky Blues have beaten Sunderland in the last couple of months.
Millwall have climbed into contention on the back of a fine run which followed their March defeat at the Stadium of Light. Blackburn have somehow given themselves a shot again despite losing five straight games in March and April.
Boro are out of form and need a win on the final day and favours. A fifth place finish for Michael Carrick’s side feels unlikely.
It sounds obvious given league positions, but Bristol City and Coventry would appear tougher tests for Sunderland than the three below.
CAN SUNDERLAND REDISCOVER FORM?
That’s the key question.
Can Sunderland rediscover their form at the time of need? Can the Black Cats flick the switch? Will Le Bris’ decision to rest and rotate pay off?
Had Le Bris not given key players a breather in recent weeks, the head coach is adamant Sunderland would have run out of steam. So even on the back of the recent defeats, Le Bris believes he’s done the right thing.
The performance at Oxford, where Le Bris named a full strength side, was a concern and was followed by some honest post-match truths in the dressing room.
Enzo Le Fee also this week admitted Sunderland have “fallen short” in recent weeks.
So can they turn it on again? QPR look kind final day opponents and a no fuss home win would go a long way to easing any anxiety that has built up on Wearside over recent weeks.
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WHO LEADS THE LINE?
Wilson Isidor or Eliezer Mayenda?
Since Mayenda’s superb show at Bristol City, Isidor has started the last two games and it still feels like the Frenchman is Le Bris’ go-to man when the stakes are high.
But the 24-year-old is now without a goal in his last 12 appearances, and while Le Bris plays that down – stressing the importance of what the striker brings to his side – he could do with the inevitable lift that would come with hitting the net against QPR.
For all Mayenda impressed at Ashton Gate, the 19-year-old has only scored once in his last eight appearances.
Goals drying up for strikers at this stage of the season is not ideal.
Le Bris has all but ruled out switching to a 4-4-2 again and playing them both, which means he’ll have to pick between the pair.
He says he doesn’t have a pecking order as such and instead considers who is best equipped for each individual game and challenge.
INJURY WAIT
Le Bris still expects Romaine Mundle to return for the play-offs but what’s not clear at this stage is how big a role the winger will play.
Mundle has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury so it’s a big ask to expect the winger to come back and hit the ground running.
With that in mind, Enzo Le Fee is likely to start on the left flank in the play-off semi-final first leg. Le Bris confirmed as much after the Oxford defeat. While Le Bris would ideally like to play Le Fee in a central role, the loanee impressed on the left flank when he covered out wide after his arrival. And with Tommy Watson having struggled to impress since his return from injury, Le Fee looks a safe bet on the flank.
Dan Ballard was this week pictured back in training during Sunderland’s stint in Portugal, another major boost for the Black Cats.
But after missing the last 11 games, Le Bris must now decide whether the former Arsenal man is ready to feature prominently in the play-offs. And if so, who does he replace in the side? Chris Mepham has been excellent this season and Luke O’Nien wouldn’t be dropped for the play-offs.
Dennis Cirkin’s return from the bench at Oxford was a major boost. He’ll get more minutes under his belt against QPR and will almost certainly start in the play-off first leg, providing there are no setbacks.
