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Why Man City and West Ham give hope to Europa League-bound Sunderland in bid to avoid 'second season syndrome' Sunderland will compete in the Europa League for the first time in their history this season. Sunderland’s pre-season campaign came to a close with a home win against Stade Rennais on Saturday - and all eyes are now on the Premier League opener at Ipswich Town next weekend as Regis Le Bris’ men look to build on a historic campaign. By securing a seventh place finish last season, the Black Cats became the tenth side to secure European football in their first season back in the Premier League. Some have suggested juggling the demands of competing in the Europa League alongside the high intensity nature of the Premier League and trying to progress in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup could mean Le Bris’ side will suffer ‘second season syndrome. However, the statistics behind clubs that have qualified for Europe via league position or a cup final appearance just 12 months after securing promotion offer hope that Sunderland can flourish during the new campaign. A feature produced by BBC Sport has given an insight into how clubs that have found themselves in a similar scenario have fared during last 34 years. Early success stories Newcastle United were the first club to achieve that feat during the Premier League era when Kevin Keegan’s side secured a third place finish and qualification for the UEFA Cup back in 1993/94 before landing a sixth place finish during the following season. Nottingham Forest achieved the same feat 12 months later before ended the 1995/96 season in ninth position in the top flight. Leicester City’s Coca Cola Cup final win against Middlesbrough in April 1997 saw Martin O’Neill’s Foxes qualify for the UEFA Cup and they secured a mid-table finish during the following season. Tractor Boys and Tigers suffer relegation Ipswich Town, then managed by former Sunderland full-back George Burley, were the first side to suffer relegation from the Premier League after securing European football during their first season back in the top flight. The Tractor Boys faced the likes of Inter Milan and Torpedo Moscow during their UEFA Cup campaign in 2001/02 - but were relegated after suffering a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Liverpool on the final day of the season. Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and West Ham United all remained in the Premier League during seasons when they competed in European football over the following years. But Hull City were not so fortunate after they FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal in May 2014 earned them a spot in the following season’s Europa League. A defeat against Lokeren ended their European campaign before it had even began - and an 18th place finish meant the Tigers returned to the Championship just 12 months after their Wembley appearance. Wolves are the most recent example of a newly-promoted side securing European football after a seventh placed finish in the 2018/19 season was followed up by the same achievement during the following campaign. So that means just two relegations from the nine clubs that have secured European football in their first season back in the Premier League and those clubs achieved an average final position of 11.6 during their second seasons back in the top flight. Your next Sunderland read: Toulouse boss breaks silence on Dayann Methalie as Sunderland transfer saga nears conclusion