With Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele admits the Black Cats are eyeing the possibility of gatecrashing the European places following an odds-defying return to the Premier League.
With six games remaining in 2025-26, Regis Le Bris' men sit 10th in the table and have 46 points on the board, meaning they are just two points behind sixth-placed Chelsea.
The Black Cats need one more win to mathematically confirm their top-flight status for 2026-27, though in truth, that has never been in any doubt after a fast start to the season propelled them into the top half of the table.
A win at Aston Villa on Sunday, meanwhile, would see Sunderland record their best Premier League points tally since 2000-01 (57). Their current total is already their best since accumulating 47 in 2010-11.
And Mukiele, whose deflected strike proved enough to earn a 1-0 win over struggling Tottenham last time out, says Le Bris' side will not let up from here.
"We know we have six games left and we know we have to try and reach something different because we know our target at the beginning of the season is done now," he said.
"With this team and this quality that we have, we can reach something else. We will fight for this until the end of the season."
Midfielder Granit Xhaka has been a key man since arriving at the Stadium of Light from Bayer Leverkusen, and after a swathe of signings made their way to Wearside last summer, Mukiele says his experience has been invaluable.
"We work hard and we have a young team with a lot of energy but also players like Granit who have experience of the Premier League," he said.
"Even if it's my first season here, with what Granit shows us in training or a game or if we lose or win, it's a positive what he brings to us."
Villa are fourth in the table after drawing 1-1 with Nottingham Forest in their most recent league game, three points clear of Liverpool, who occupy the final Champions League spot.
They also have a Europa League semi-final against Forest to look forward to, after Thursday's 4-0 win over Bologna sealed a 7-1 aggregate triumph in the last eight.
Villa have never lost to a newly promoted team in the Premier League under Unai Emery (W14 D5), with their most recent such defeat coming against Fulham in October 2022, in Steven Gerrard's final game in charge.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa – John McGinn
McGinn has been involved in five goals in his last six Premier League home appearances for Aston Villa (three goals, two assists).
Villa have won 58% of their games with the Scotsman in the starting XI this season (14/24), compared to only 25% without him (2/8).
Sunderland – Chris Rigg
Only Wolves (12) have had players of more different nationalities (excluding own goals) score in the Premier League this season than Sunderland (11), though the Black Cats are the only team without an English scorer.
Rigg has only had nine shots all season in the Premier League, but that is still the most of any English player in Sunderland's ranks – could he find himself on the scoresheet on Sunday?