Sunderland return from the international break with Tony Mowbray's men set to play ten games in 38 days between this weekend and New Year's Day as the pace of the Championship campaign begins to ramp up. The Black Cats will resume in sixth place in the table, level on points with West Bromwich Albion and Hull City - both of whom they will face next month - but ahead of the Baggies and the Tigers on goal difference.

The sequence starts with Sunderland's longest journey of the season as they head to Devon to take on Plymouth Argyle at Home Park on Saturday. Steven Schumacher's Pilgrims currently sit 19th in the table, five points above the relegation zone, and have won just one of their last eight league games.

The Black Cats then face struggling Huddersfield Town at the Stadium of Light next Wednesday, with Darren Moore's Terriers fourth-bottom of the table, four points outside the drop zone, having won just one of their last ten matches. And then at the beginning of December Sunderland travel to London the following Saturday to meet Millwall at The Den, where new boss Joe Edwards took over earlier this month and won his first game in charge 4-0 at basement side Sheffield Wednesday.

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That was the Lions' first win in five games, and it left them 15th going into the international break. Those three fixtures against sides in the bottom half of the table offer opportunities for Sunderland to strengthen their play-off case, but tougher games await.

On Saturday, December 9, the Black Cats are in action on Wearside =in front of the Sky Sports cameras in a lunchtime kick-off when Carlos Corberan's West Brom are the visitors, and three days later Daniel Farke's Leeds United, who currently sit third, will visit the Stadium of Light in another televised game. After that comes another long trip for Sunderland as they head to Ashton Gate on December 16 to take on Bristol City, who are currently in midtable.

Then it is into the festive programme with Christmas week beginning with a home game against Mark Robins' Coventry City on December 23. Sunderland round out the year with back-to-back away games, travelling to Hull on Boxing Day and then to relegation candidates Rotherham United on December 29.

And then this block of fixtures ends on New Year's Day when another top six contender, Preston North End, visits the Stadium of Light.