It’s fair to say that the three promoted sides are more competent than the trio they replaced in the Premier League. Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester immediately dropped back into the Championship last season following a thoroughly underwhelming stint back in the top-flight.

Leeds, Burnley and Sunderland will have done their homework in order to avoid a drop back into England’s second tier. The former duo were tussling for the title until the dying embers of the season. The latter booked their Premier League spot at Sheffield United’s expense at Wembley back in May.

And it’s the Black Cats that have made the best start of those to have secured promotion. A 2-0 win over Wolves at the weekend means Sunderland have won more Premier League games than Southampton managed last season (2). They’ve matched Ipswich’s victory return and are two off going level with Leicester.

Regis Le Bris has made a fine start to life in the top tier of English football, this despite the departure of key midfielder Jobe Bellingham for Borussia Dortmund. Yet Sunderland took the money from the German giants and invested well. Granit Xhaka was the marquee addition, and Le Bris has called upon the Swiss star’s Premier League experience. Indeed, Xhaka was immediately instilled as captain.

Enzo Le Fee’s loan move was made permanent following Sunderland’s playoff success, while Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra, Brian Brobbey and Chemsdine Talbi all made the move to the Stadium of Light over the summer. Sunderland, though, didn’t fall into a familiar trap by promoted sides and neglect the defence.

Robin Roefs has proven an inspired addition between the sticks. Omer Alderete, Arthur Masuaku, Reinildo and Lutsharel Geertruida, meanwhile, are experienced defensive signings. However, the capture of Nordi Mukiele is what has really caught the eye. The versatile defender joined Sunderland from PSG for a reported £9.5m in August.

In recent years, Mukiele hardly hit the heights shown in his final season at Montpellier. The Frenchman’s showings in Ligue 1 saw RB Leipzig land Mukiele in 2018 before he moved to PSG in 2022. A number of muscle injuries restricted his game time for the French giants, and again during his loan stint with Bayer Levekusen last season. Yet Sunderland were convinced to secure his services earlier in the year even as he missed the first two games of the campaign owing to a lack of match fitness.

Since coming into the starting XI for the 2-1 win over Brentford in matchday three, however, Mukiele has proven himself indispensable for the Black Cats. Largely deployed at centre-back as cover for Dan Ballard, Le Bris opted to move his compatriot across to right-back for Saturday’s 2-0 win over Wolves, and it was from here that Mukiele put in a player of the match performance.

“He was signed for £9.5m from PSG in the summer. You don’t get signings like that these days, particularly in the Premier League,” Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie enthused after the victory over Wolves. “He was Man of the Match today and has been brilliant in both defence and attack.”

Mukiele scored the opening goal in the home triumph, his first following his move to Sunderland, as the Black Cats maintained their flying start to life back in the Premier League. Another clean sheet at the weekend means Sunderland have conceded just six league goals this season; only Arsenal (3) have shipped fewer.

Le Bris has implemented a pragmatic approach in order to keep Sunderland afloat this season, evident in that the Black Cats have the fourth lowest possession average (43.7%) in the Premier League. They remain compact and are well drilled off the ball, meaning an xG against haul of 9.85 is the sixth lowest in England’s top tier. The decision to play on the backfoot could have hindered Mukiele, who’d become accustomed to playing for sides that dominate possession.

The 27-year-old, though, has taken to a change in style with ease. A return of 48 clearances ranks 15th in the division, this despite missing the opening two games of the campaign. 12 clearances in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last month is among the most in a Premier League game this season. It was a game in which Sunderland showed great fortitude to stave off a Villa onslaught having been reduced to 10 men in the 33rd minute.

Furthermore, he ranks 14th for tackles (20) in England’s top tier this term, showcasing the necessary athleticism to cover the ground that would otherwise be exposed when Sunderland did push forward. Strong in the challenge, he’s returned an 87% tackle success rate in the Premier League this season as forwards struggle to get the better of the new Black Cats hero.

What stands out, too, is how well he fares in an aerial duel. Standing at just 6’1’, Mukiele isn’t the tallest centre-back in world football. For a Sunderland side that sits deep, they are prone to facing aerial bombardments as sides seek to break them down by any means necessary. Only Everton (40.3) are competing in more aerial duels per 90 than Sunderland (38.3) in the division.

Mukiele shines when teams go direct against Sunderland, however. 22 aerial duels won, 10 of which came in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Wolves, ranks among the top 20, while a 71% aerial success rate is also notable. In short – teams are struggling to get the better of Sunderland, with the club reaping the rewards of investing in defence.

An influx of new faces at the Stadium of Light could have proven disastrous for Sunderland. Promoted teams are often guilty of signing too many players in a bid to stay up, yet Le Bris’ side have struck the right balance of new and old. And of the raft of additions, Mukiele is proving the best pound-for-pound signing.