# Sunderland A.F.C. league record by opponent

Sunderland Association Football Club, an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, was founded in 1879. They joined The Football League in the 1890–91 season replacing Stoke who had failed to be re-elected, making Sunderland the first new club to join the league since its inauguration in 1888. Sunderland remained in the football league for 106 years, albeit in different divisions, until 1996 when they were promoted to the Premier League, which replaced the Football League's First Division at the top of the English football league system in 1992. Since then the club has been relegated back into The Football League on four occasions. They currently compete in the EFL Championship after promotion from EFL League One in the 2021–22 season.
Sunderland's first team, nicknamed the Black Cats, have competed in a number of nationally contested leagues, and their record against each club faced in those competitions is summarised below. Sunderland played their inaugural league fixture as part of the 1890–91 Football League on 13 September 1890 against Burnley. They met their most recent different league opponent, Morecambe, for the first time in the 2021–22 EFL League One season.
The team that Sunderland have played most in league competition is Aston Villa, against whom they have contested 170 league matches. Villa, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion have contested the most draws with Sunderland, having tied 44 games. The Black Cats have won 65 of the league matches against Everton and Stoke City which represents the most they have won against any club. Everton are also the teams to defeat Sunderland the most with 73 wins over them.

## Key

* The table includes results of matches played by Sunderland in the Football League and the Premier League.
* For the sake of simplicity, present-day names are used throughout: for example, results against Newton Heath, Small Heath and Woolwich Arsenal are integrated into the records against Manchester United, Birmingham City and Arsenal, respectively
* † Teams with this background and symbol in the "Club" column are competing in the 2023–24 EFL Championship alongside Sunderland
* ‡ Clubs with this background and symbol in the "Club" column are defunct
* P = matches played; W = matches won; D = matches drawn; L = matches lost; F = Goals scored (For); A = Goals conceded (Against); Win% = percentage of total matches won
* The columns headed "First" and "Last" contain the first and most recent seasons in which Sunderland played league matches against each opponent

## All-time league record

    Statistics correct as of matches played on 4 May 2024.
Sunderland A.F.C. league record by opponent :
| Club | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | Win% | First | Last | Note(s) |
| Club | P | W | D | L | P | W | D | L | P | W | D | L | F | A | Win% | First | Last | Note(s) |
| Accrington ‡ | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 12 | 066.67 | 1890–91 | 1892–93 | |
| Accrington Stanley | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 057.14 | 2018–19 | 2021–22 | |
| AFC Wimbledon | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 071.43 | 2018–19 | 2021–22 | |
| Aldershot ‡ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 050.00 | 1987–88 | 1987–88 | |
| Arsenal | 70 | 29 | 23 | 18 | 70 | 15 | 17 | 38 | 140 | 44 | 40 | 56 | 189 | 224 | 031.43 | 1904–05 | 2016–17 | |
| Aston Villa | 85 | 39 | 25 | 21 | 85 | 15 | 19 | 51 | 170 | 54 | 44 | 72 | 247 | 272 | 031.76 | 1890–91 | 2017–18 | |
| Barnsley | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 28 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 40 | 33 | 053.57 | 1958–59 | 2018–19 | |
| Birmingham City † | 56 | 37 | 9 | 10 | 56 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 112 | 52 | 22 | 38 | 178 | 141 | 046.43 | 1894–95 | 2023–24 | |
| Blackburn Rovers † | 66 | 44 | 8 | 14 | 66 | 18 | 18 | 30 | 132 | 62 | 26 | 44 | 226 | 185 | 046.97 | 1890–91 | 2023–24 | |
| Blackpool | 32 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 31 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 63 | 24 | 20 | 19 | 87 | 89 | 038.10 | 1930–31 | 2022–23 | |
| Bolton Wanderers | 69 | 42 | 16 | 11 | 69 | 15 | 17 | 37 | 138 | 57 | 33 | 48 | 230 | 196 | 041.30 | 1890–91 | 2021–22 | |
| AFC Bournemouth | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 050.00 | 1988–89 | 2016–17 | |
| Bradford City | 20 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 40 | 18 | 11 | 11 | 57 | 34 | 045.00 | 1908–09 | 2018–19 | |
| Bradford Park Avenue | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 033.33 | 1914–15 | 1920–21 | |
| Brentford | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 31 | 25 | 050.00 | 1935–36 | 2017–18 | |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 17 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 34 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 51 | 46 | 041.18 | 1958–59 | 2004–05 | |
| Bristol City † | 23 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 46 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 59 | 67 | 028.26 | 1906–07 | 2023–24 | |
| Bristol Rovers | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 57 | 40 | 040.00 | 1958–59 | 2020–21 | |
| Burnley | 52 | 28 | 15 | 9 | 52 | 13 | 13 | 26 | 104 | 41 | 28 | 35 | 155 | 163 | 039.42 | 1890–91 | 2022–23 | |
| Burton Albion | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 022.22 | 2017–18 | 2021–22 | |
| Bury | 28 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 56 | 30 | 8 | 18 | 102 | 74 | 053.57 | 1895–96 | 1998–99 | |
| Cambridge United | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 17 | 040.00 | 1978–79 | 2021–22 | |
| Cardiff City † | 32 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 32 | 10 | 5 | 17 | 64 | 22 | 15 | 27 | 83 | 103 | 034.38 | 1921–22 | 2023–24 | |
| Carlisle United | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 18 | 050.00 | 1970–71 | 1985–86 | |
| Charlton Athletic | 40 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 40 | 7 | 14 | 19 | 80 | 27 | 23 | 30 | 121 | 118 | 033.75 | 1936–37 | 2021–22 | |
| Chelsea | 60 | 29 | 10 | 21 | 60 | 9 | 11 | 40 | 120 | 38 | 21 | 61 | 173 | 218 | 031.67 | 1907–08 | 2016–17 | |
| Cheltenham Town | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 050.00 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 | |
| Chester City ‡ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 050.00 | 1987–88 | 1987–88 | |
| Chesterfield | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 050.00 | 1987–88 | 1987–88 | |
| Colchester United | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 050.00 | 2006–07 | 2006–07 | |
| Coventry City † | 20 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 40 | 10 | 16 | 14 | 40 | 47 | 025.00 | 1967–68 | 2023–24 | |
| Crewe Alexandra | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 25 | 9 | 075.00 | 1997–98 | 2021–22 | |
| Crystal Palace | 18 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 36 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 34 | 39 | 033.33 | 1969–70 | 2016–17 | |
| Darwen ‡ | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 1 | 100.00 | 1891–92 | 1893–94 | |
| Derby County | 65 | 41 | 12 | 12 | 65 | 16 | 15 | 34 | 130 | 57 | 27 | 46 | 208 | 183 | 043.85 | 1891–92 | 2017–18 | |
| Doncaster Rovers | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 19 | 6 | 070.00 | 1987–88 | 2021–22 | |
| Everton | 82 | 46 | 15 | 21 | 82 | 19 | 11 | 52 | 164 | 65 | 26 | 73 | 257 | 275 | 039.63 | 1890–91 | 2016–17 | |
| Fleetwood Town | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 025.00 | 2018–19 | 2021–22 | |
| Fulham | 29 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 29 | 11 | 6 | 12 | 58 | 23 | 17 | 18 | 78 | 69 | 039.66 | 1949–50 | 2017–18 | |
| Gillingham | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 13 | 064.29 | 1987–88 | 2021–22 | |
| Glossop North End | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 050.00 | 1899–1900 | 1899–1900 | |
| Grimsby Town | 24 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 48 | 27 | 12 | 9 | 96 | 60 | 056.25 | 1901–02 | 1998–99 | |
| Huddersfield Town † | 42 | 24 | 13 | 5 | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 84 | 36 | 27 | 21 | 136 | 104 | 042.86 | 1920–21 | 2023–24 | |
| Hull City † | 22 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 44 | 19 | 11 | 14 | 57 | 48 | 043.18 | 1959–60 | 2023–24 | |
| Ipswich Town † | 28 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 28 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 56 | 22 | 9 | 25 | 70 | 86 | 039.29 | 1958–59 | 2023–24 | |
| Leeds United † | 43 | 22 | 6 | 15 | 43 | 9 | 12 | 22 | 86 | 31 | 18 | 37 | 116 | 123 | 036.05 | 1924–25 | 2023–24 | |
| Leicester City † | 43 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 43 | 12 | 7 | 24 | 86 | 30 | 21 | 35 | 110 | 130 | 034.88 | 1908–09 | 2023–24 | |
| Leyton Orient | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 28 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 45 | 38 | 046.43 | 1958–59 | 1979–80 | |
| Lincoln City | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 033.33 | 1958–59 | 2021–22 | |
| Liverpool | 80 | 33 | 15 | 32 | 80 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 160 | 51 | 37 | 72 | 222 | 267 | 031.88 | 1894–95 | 2016–17 | |
| Luton Town | 25 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 25 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 50 | 24 | 13 | 13 | 86 | 70 | 048.00 | 1955–56 | 2022–23 | |
| Manchester City | 66 | 35 | 11 | 20 | 66 | 12 | 11 | 43 | 132 | 47 | 22 | 63 | 194 | 233 | 035.61 | 1899–1900 | 2016–17 | |
| Manchester United | 64 | 27 | 15 | 22 | 64 | 12 | 14 | 38 | 128 | 39 | 29 | 60 | 183 | 220 | 030.47 | 1892–93 | 2016–17 | |
| Mansfield Town | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 100.00 | 1977–78 | 1987–88 | |
| Middlesbrough † | 68 | 38 | 17 | 13 | 68 | 19 | 18 | 31 | 136 | 57 | 35 | 44 | 198 | 176 | 041.91 | 1902–03 | 2023–24 | |
| Millwall † | 19 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 38 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 59 | 42 | 039.47 | 1970–71 | 2023–24 | |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 050.00 | 2019–20 | 2021–22 | |
| Morecambe | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 100.00 | 2021–22 | 2021–22 |
| Newcastle United | 71 | 26 | 25 | 20 | 71 | 21 | 19 | 31 | 142 | 47 | 44 | 51 | 208 | 211 | 033.10 | 1898–99 | 2015–16 | |
| Northampton Town | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 11 | 037.50 | 1963–64 | 2020–21 | |
| Norwich City † | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 52 | 16 | 13 | 23 | 61 | 65 | 030.77 | 1960–61 | 2023–24 | |
| Nottingham Forest | 44 | 24 | 12 | 8 | 44 | 13 | 10 | 21 | 88 | 37 | 22 | 29 | 134 | 110 | 042.05 | 1892–93 | 2017–18 | |
| Notts County | 37 | 21 | 10 | 6 | 37 | 5 | 12 | 20 | 74 | 26 | 22 | 26 | 121 | 104 | 035.14 | 1890–91 | 1994–95 | |
| Oldham Athletic | 20 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 40 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 60 | 54 | 035.00 | 1910–11 | 1995–96 | |
| Oxford United | 17 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 34 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 50 | 26 | 055.88 | 1970–71 | 2021–22 | |
| Peterborough United | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 13 | 044.44 | 1992–93 | 2020–21 | |
| Plymouth Argyle † | 16 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 32 | 17 | 5 | 10 | 57 | 34 | 053.13 | 1959–60 | 2023–24 | |
| Port Vale | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 15 | 042.86 | 1987–88 | 1998–99 | |
| Portsmouth | 53 | 26 | 17 | 10 | 53 | 12 | 16 | 25 | 106 | 38 | 33 | 35 | 178 | 163 | 035.85 | 1927–28 | 2021–22 | |
| Preston North End † | 56 | 33 | 17 | 6 | 56 | 14 | 15 | 27 | 112 | 47 | 32 | 33 | 180 | 159 | 041.96 | 1890–91 | 2023–24 | |
| Queens Park Rangers † | 19 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 49 | 47 | 036.84 | 1968–69 | 2023–24 | |
| Reading | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 29 | 24 | 040.00 | 1986–87 | 2022–23 | |
| Rochdale | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 083.33 | 2018–19 | 2020–21 | |
| Rotherham United † | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 46 | 24 | 048.00 | 1958–59 | 2023–24 | |
| Scunthorpe United | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 24 | 16 | 042.86 | 1958–59 | 2018–19 | |
| Sheffield United | 65 | 40 | 14 | 11 | 65 | 17 | 10 | 38 | 130 | 57 | 24 | 49 | 214 | 192 | 043.85 | 1893–94 | 2022–23 | |
| Sheffield Wednesday † | 59 | 32 | 11 | 16 | 59 | 16 | 16 | 27 | 118 | 48 | 27 | 43 | 187 | 181 | 040.68 | 1892–93 | 2023–24 | |
| Shrewsbury Town | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 12 | 060.00 | 1979–80 | 2021–22 | |
| Southampton † | 29 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 29 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 58 | 18 | 15 | 25 | 74 | 88 | 031.03 | 1960–61 | 2023–24 | |
| Southend United | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 17 | 058.82 | 1987–88 | 2019–20 | |
| Stockport County | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 075.00 | 1997–98 | 1998–99 | |
| Stoke City † | 71 | 45 | 17 | 9 | 71 | 20 | 16 | 35 | 142 | 65 | 33 | 44 | 204 | 152 | 045.77 | 1891–92 | 2023–24 | |
| Swansea City † | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 34 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 48 | 55 | 032.35 | 1958–59 | 2023–24 | |
| Swindon Town | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 44 | 27 | 050.00 | 1963–64 | 2020–21 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 54 | 22 | 16 | 16 | 54 | 13 | 13 | 28 | 108 | 35 | 29 | 44 | 139 | 150 | 032.41 | 1909–10 | 2016–17 | |
| Tranmere Rovers | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 15 | 043.75 | 1991–92 | 2019–20 | |
| Walsall | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 18 | 050.00 | 1961–62 | 2018–19 | |
| Watford † | 21 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 42 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 73 | 57 | 035.71 | 1970–71 | 2023–24 | |
| West Bromwich Albion † | 78 | 40 | 25 | 13 | 78 | 20 | 19 | 39 | 156 | 60 | 44 | 52 | 264 | 303 | 038.46 | 1890–91 | 2023–24 | |
| West Ham United | 41 | 20 | 10 | 11 | 41 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 82 | 29 | 23 | 30 | 117 | 125 | 035.37 | 1923–24 | 2016–17 | |
| Wigan Athletic | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 40 | 29 | 042.31 | 1987–88 | 2022–23 | |
| Wimbledon ‡ | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 14 | 040.00 | 1985–86 | 2003–04 | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 56 | 31 | 14 | 11 | 56 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 112 | 46 | 27 | 39 | 194 | 157 | 041.07 | 1890–91 | 2017–18 | |
| Wrexham | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 075.00 | 1978–79 | 1979–80 | |
| Wycombe Wanderers | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 033.33 | 2018–19 | 2021–22 | |
| York City | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 083.33 | 1974–75 | 1987–88 | |

## Footnotes

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019–20 EFL League One season was suspended in mid-March 2020. On 9 June, the clubs voted to curtail the season; Sunderland's last eight matches, which included one against this opponent, remained unplayed.
* ↑ Record against Woolwich Arsenal included
* ↑ Record against Small Heath included; record against Birmingham included
* ↑ Record against Glossop included
* ↑ Record against Leicester Fosse included
* ↑ Record against Leyton included
* ↑ Record against Newton Heath included
* ↑ Record against The Wednesday included
* ↑ Record against Stoke included
* ↑ Record against Swansea Town included