Sunderland's quest for season-saving points resumes on Saturday with a visit from Stoke City, a club with the relative stability that David Moyes' side should aim to emulate.
According to one recent forecast, Mark Hughes' team can hope for no better than 12th place at the end of this campaign. Such a slip after three successive ninth-place finishes would doubtless disappoint Stoke supporters. Through the eyes of most Sunderland fans, it would feel like a gift from heaven.
David Moyes is fully aware that the success of his efforts to take Sunderland closer to 12th than their current third-bottom place relies heavily on winning games like Stoke at home.