SUNDERLAND are facing a massive question mark over their ability to cope with pressure after they were swept aside by struggling Oxford.
Home supporters desperate to see their side secure Championship survival turned the three-sided Kassam Stadium into a cauldron as the visitors wilted without getting a shot on target.
So Wearside fans are entitled to wonder how their team will handle the stresses and strains of the play-offs.
Regis Le Bris and his men are stumbling towards the promotion deciders - this was their fourth straight defeat, and unlike the Easter Monday setback at home to Blackburn, it was thoroughly deserved.
Sunderland were never in it, apart from a fleeting moment of hope just before the hour, when Chris Rigg headed against Oxford keeper Jamie Cumming’s right-hand post with United already 2-0 up.
The upshot was that Oxford will be in the Championship next season - and the clever money is probably on Sunderland being there with them too.
Maybe this week's warm-weather break in Portugal will help to bring sunnier times back to the Stadium of Light, where QPR are the visitors on Saturday in the final match of the regular season.
Le Bris made six changes at Oxford, saying that the side was very near to the starting line-up he is planning for the play-offs. But the warning signs were there early on.
The home side forced a succession of corners before Cameron Brannagan brought a flying save out of Anthony Patterson with a fierce 25-yard drive.
Striker Wilson Isidor threatened when he broke clear but was too easily brushed off the ball by United’s big defender Michal Helik - all too typical of Sunderland's limp performance.
Oxford’s pressure had to pay off, and they went ahead just before the half-hour when defender Ben Nelson soared above the visiting backline to head home his first goal for the club after Will Vaulks flighted in a perfect free-kick from wide on the left.
There were lively exchanges in the Sunderland dressing room at the break, but they made an even worse start to the second half, with Oxford scoring a second two minutes in. Centre-back Chris Mepham gave away a free-kick on the edge of the visitors' box and Brannagan stepped up.
The midfielder’s shot was too hot for Patterson to hold and Helik followed up to blast home a close-range shot.
The visitors could have suffered a worse thumping. Soon after Helik's goal, Vaulks attempted to catch out Patterson, who had ventured well away from his line, but the long-range effort bounced wide of the post.
Patterson redeemed himself, coming to the rescue to prevent his side going 3-0 down. Przemyslaw Placheta broke clear for a one-on-one, but the Pole, sensing a defender on his shoulder, shot too soon and the keeper was able to divert the ball for a corner.
As the second half wore on, it was Sunderland’s turn for a period of domination.
But two incidents summed up their awful day. First, when Jobe Bellingham wrong-footed Oxford with a beautiful turn past two defenders, only for Dan Neil to smash his shot way over the bar. Then sub Tommy Watson managed to fire a pass straight behind for an Oxford goal-kick.
Sunderland, who managed to do very little with nearly 70 per cent possession, are guaranteed fourth place in the table, but look nothing like the side who had been enjoying a fine campaign in Le Bris' first season in charge.
As home supporters started chanting: “We are staying up," a trickle of away fans started trudging away from the Kassam.
At full-time, Sunderland's players went over to salute the travelling support - but half the section was deserted.
Somehow, those empty seats were the most telling sight of all as play-off anxieties mount. A few angry fans barracked the players, although the majority applauded. Now they can only hope they'll be cheering at Wembley next month.
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