Sunderland

Neil Johnston
BBC Sport football reporter

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Dinamo Zagreb under the lights at the Stadium of Light on Bonfire Night.

These should be exciting times for Sunderland and their fans, who before this season had been starved of European football for more than half a century.

Instead there is a concern the club's Europa League campaign, which includes a trip to AC Milan in December, has become a hindrance after the team's poor domestic start to the season.

Following last Saturday's 3-1 defeat at Coventry City, captain Granit Xhaka questioned the team's "courage", weeks after France defender Nordi Mukiele claimed the side had become "arrogant".

BBC Sport understands Le Bris' job is not in immediate danger and he will be given more time to turn things around.

Sunderland, who were playing in League One as recently as 2022, were lauded as one of the stories of last season, after doing the double over Chelsea and fierce rivals Newcastle, as well as holding both Arsenal and Manchester City at home.

The numbers suggest repeated success was always going to be difficult.

Only relegated Burnley and Wolves had a lower Expected Goals difference - comparing the amount of good chances created to those chances created against them - than Sunderland last campaign.

Two of Sunderland's seven league goals this season have come from the penalty spot, while they have finished with 10 men in defeats by Arsenal (Reinildo Mandava sent off), Bournemouth (Kevin Danso sent off) and Coventry (Omar Alderete sent off).

Meanwhile, Sunderland have failed to score a first-half goal in seven of their nine league games.

Sunderland spent £161m on 15 new players after winning promotion to the Premier League in the summer of 2025.

This time round, just £60m was invested on five players.

For many, the reason for Sunderland's current struggles appears obvious - the added demand of Europe.

Their first European campaign since 1973 means at least eight games in the Europa League. Unlike in the Premier League, Sunderland have started well in Europe, winning two and drawing one of their first three league phase matches.

The Black Cats have lost two and drawn one of their three Premier League games after playing in Europe.

They could certainly do with beating Chelsea on Sunday after playing Dinamo Zagreb to lift the mood.

Otherwise it is going to be an unhappy international break for Sunderland and their passionate fanbase.

Read more on the Black Cats' struggles here

Minnesota United's 26-year-old forward Kelvin Yeboah - nephew of Leeds United and Ghana hero Tony Yeboah - is on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs, with Sunderland, Everton and Crystal Palace all in the market for a striker. (Talksport), external

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We asked for your views on what's going wrong at Sunderland as concerns are growing over the Black Cats' form.

Here are some of your comments:

Stevie: There's no true dedicated striker, the formation is too defensive minded, we are afraid to make changes, and we must change attacking style and play 4-4-2. We must be more attacking and are definitely down if we don't change. There is no hard luck story here.

Charlie: You could see how other clubs struggled while juggling the Europa League so it shouldn't be a surprise. My opinion is that while we kept most of the players who got us there, in the transfer market we stood still and I think in the Premier League you have to keep moving, making adjustments. We got some good young players in, but we should have done more with players who can come straight into the team.

Bryan: I always thought and said qualifying for Europe would be our downfall. We don't have a squad big enough to manage both. I have been a Sunderland supporter/follower since 1962 and when things go wrong we always sack the manager. That would be the wrong decision. Clubs that sack their managers get relegated.

Mark: The Sunderland manager is excellent. The team are just going through an underperforming period at the moment, they will get better.

Isabel: I 100% agree with the club's backing for Regis le Bris. They had previously some unlucky losses and draws against tough opposition and have been performing well in Europe and the League Cup. I worry though about the depth of the squad and injuries. Their schedule is crazy. I love this team. Keep the faith.

Nick Barnes
BBC Radio Newcastle’s Sunderland commentator

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I'm pleased Brian Brobbey has signed a new long-term deal and I think it is one that works for both parties.

The club now has that protection of having the value of the player and not losing money on him if they are relegated, while from the player's point of view, he knows he's secure for the next five years.

At the moment, there's a lot of anxiety and worry around, so it's nice to know that a player wants to be here. It's a bit of reassurance.

After the weekend, Granit Xhaka came out and said there's still togetherness in the dressing room so they're still right behind Regis le Bris and there's still that spirit within the team to turn things around.

We know that when Brian Brobbey is 100% fit and focused on his game, he's unstoppable. He's a beast and very difficult to play against.

His hat-trick at Manchester City demonstrates that he's got a sense for goal.

Maybe, he should arguably be scoring more, but I think that if they can get him into a run of games where he's fit consistently then the goals will come.

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Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey has signed a new long-term contract that commits him to the club until 2031.

The Netherlands international, who signed from Ajax in the summer of 2025, has made 40 appearances for the Black Cats, scoring 10 goals.

"I'm really happy with the confidence the club has shown in me," said Brobbey. "Since I arrived, I've felt the ambition here, and I want to keep growing and improving as a player.

"Representing Sunderland in the Premier League is both an honour and a privilege. Having played my part in helping this club qualify for European competition is something I'm incredibly proud of. It's an achievement that will always be part of the club's history.

"I know I still can be a better version of myself, and that's what motivates me every day. I want to score goals, help the team and give our fans something to be proud of."

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Regis le Bris' Sunderland were undoubtedly last season's surprise package, but they were also among the Premier League's biggest overperformers.

The Black Cats scored three more goals and conceded six fewer than their expected goals (xG) figures would have predicted.

They ranked towards the bottom of the league for possession and both the volume and quality of their shots, but stood out in defence.

Only Burnley and West Ham faced more attempts at goal, but the Wearsiders often restricted opponents to low-quality opportunities.

The average xG of the shots they faced was the second lowest in the league, while their save percentage of almost 72% was the second highest. That helps explain how Sunderland conceded the fourth-fewest number of goals despite facing the third-most amount of shots.

It has been a very different story this season. Le Bris' side have gone from allowing the second-lowest xG per shot to the second highest.

The number of shots they face per game is almost unchanged, but opponents are creating far better chances. That has left goalkeeper Robin Roefs exposed, with Sunderland's 50% save rate the lowest in the top flight.

That defensive decline has been compounded by profligacy at the other end. The Black Cats rank 10th for xG but have scored six goals fewer than expected, making them among the Premier League's most wasteful finishers.

It was only five months ago that Sunderland became the first team promoted as play-off winners to qualify for Europe since Ipswich Town in 2001. But the Tractor Boys were relegated the following season and the Black Cats risk following suit unless Le Bris can address their problems at both ends.

Sunderland will give manager Regis le Bris the funds to make signings in the January transfer window to turn around the club's fortunes. (The I - subscription required), external

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Following Sunderland's 3-1 defeat to Coventry, concerns are growing over the Black Cats' form, with fan Eleanor McCabe describing the performance as "appalling".

Sunderland are now winless in seven Premier League games and have failed to keep a clean sheet away from home all season.

• Watch Eleanor's opinion on the loss

Despite the poor run, manager Regis le Bris is expected to be given more time, with club sources believing he can turn things around.

The Frenchman led Sunderland to promotion before guiding them to seventh place last season and a historic Europa League spot.

With Dinamo Zagreb up next on Thursday, followed by Chelsea on Sunday, pressure is mounting.

So what's going wrong at Sunderland?

Get in touch with your views here

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Coventry City and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Coventry fans

Rob: We will have to play against better defences than Sunderland. Scored three times from four chances and will need to create more chances against superior opponents. Nevertheless, I can celebrate the result.

Frazer: Frank Lampard showed courage and leadership by making four changes from the Fulham game, especially benching Matt Grimes and starting Tatsuhiro Sakamoto. It tells the squad you play on merit and that will generate the competition for places and performances, which can only be a good thing.

Stanley: Fantastic performance from the whole team. Jack Rudoni, Sakamoto and Stephen Mfuni were excellent. If we play like this every week then we might just survive.

Des: Getting the first goal calmed the side and they played with pace and confidence. There was none of the negative sideways and backwards passing seen in the last home game against Fulham. The supporters have been crying out for a change in midfield and it worked. A few players are Championship level and should move on in the January window.

Sunderland fans

Rhum: Another woeful display littered with errors and frustration, leading to yet another embarrassing defeat and another red card.

June: I feel our manager is a godsend. He did miracles last season and through injuries we now have a depleted team. This is not the manager's fault - we had a great team and we need time to repair and build confidence. Bottom of the table isn't a position we deserve. Let's trust the lads to lift us up and we can steady the ship with a few good results. I predict we will be mid-table in a few months and playing European games can sometimes pull on the league standing. We will survive. We have a great manager... let him continue!

Colin: A team that doesn't seem to care about the club or the fans. A coach who is absolutely clueless. A director of football who needs to be sacked with immediate effect. And finally, I question the decisions of the owner. But having supported this club for over 60 years, nothing surprises me any more. Championship here we come.

Kevin: Last year, we didn't know how to lose. This year, we don't know how to win.

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Granit Xhaka has called on Sunderland to cut out their costly mistakes following their defeat to Coventry City, admitting the Black Cats are making life difficult for themselves.

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle's Nick Barnes after the game, the Sunderland captain questioned whether the repeated errors were down to a mental issue, insisting they were costing the team valuable points.

He said: "You go on the pitch thinking about not making a mistake and then it happens. It's not like the opponents are killing us. If every game we concede goals, we don't have a chance to win."

Xhaka was keen to dismiss suggestions that a lack of effort or problems within the dressing room were behind Sunderland's struggles, but warned that the mistakes needed to stop.

He added: "The players and the coach are not the problem. We have a very good feeling and we know what we want to do. We are prepared. But it's up to us and if we're not doing things after training all week, mistakes are killing us at the moment."

Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett was also critical of the performance, suggesting the Black Cats were second best throughout and failed to create enough going forward.

He said: "We were second best. There's a lot of worrying points for me that's come out of that game. You can't argue about the effort but we just seem second best all over the park. Coventry wanted it more than us, they had better movement. We didn't work the goalkeeper."

Bennett also questioned whether head coach Regis le Bris is now under pressure, insisting results would ultimately determine his future.

He added: "Of course he is, it's all about results, it's as simple as that. We were on the path to getting a performance here but we've gone back to square one."

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Chris McKenna
BBC Sport journalist

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Last season's surprise package following promotion are now one of this campaign's strugglers.

Sunderland may be mixing it with illustrious big guns in the Europa League, but they are staring down the barrel of a relegation fight on the domestic front.

Their 3-1 defeat by Coventry City on Saturday has kept Regis le Bris' side rock bottom of the table after nine games.

Yet in Europe, all is well for the Black Cats.

They are ninth in that table, with only goal difference keeping them out of the top eight and a passage directly to the last 16. They have two wins and a draw from their three games.

And in the Carabao Cup, a 3-2 win over Brentford in midweek has set up a quarter-final against fellow Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace.

But they have picked up just a point in their three league games that have followed European outings this season, while this defeat against Coventry came on the back of the midweek cup victory.

"They [the players] own the reality of the club, this dynamic, we are growing fast," said Sunderland boss Le Bris. "We are exposed this season with this busy schedule. It's really demanding.

"Is it unexpected? I don't think so. Many clubs last year experienced exactly the same situation. First year in Europe, you know you will have on average 10 fewer points. It's our reality.

"Does it mean we are happy? Absolutely not. We have to get better. We have to play better than we did in the first half. It's hard to be not able to play our football with confidence, with the ability to be ourselves."

Read the full piece here

Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Bad result. Ups and downs, I think is the summary of this game and the season so far. We can play good football, and create some good chances, but we also made many unforced errors. At this level, especially in the Premier League the opponent can seize ever single opportunity, and [Coventry] did that. It's not a question of luck, it's a question of us. We are too inconsistent at the minute to be efficient in this league.

On the frustration of making errors that lead to goals: "Yeah, it is, because it's not the first time. So, it's hard to handle, hard to address because it's always different. Sometimes it's this player, then it's that player. First minute, last minute. So, it's the consequence of something for sure, because we are growing quickly as a club, but the demands are still so important, especially in this league, but we are not at the level at this minute."

On if the mistakes are because of lack of confidence: "Yeah, sometimes the case. We are not at our best, it's obvious. It's dynamic, sometimes you are good and sometimes you are not. This inconsistency is crucial because in this League the level is so high and demanding you have to do consistent, and it's not the case at the minute."

On if they can still take something from the result: "Absolutely. This team and this club [have fight]. Is it a surprise to struggle in the Premier League? I would say no. Are we comfortable in this situation? Absolutely no. Are we combative? Yes. So, we will do it."

On if he is concerned about his job: "In my mind I work for Sunderland for 10 years, so I'm here to give everything. I work hard, I will connect with people. with the players to find solutions."

Hear more from Le Bris on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• Sunderland remain winless across their last seven games in the Premier League (drawn two, lost five), with their five points this season being their lowest nine games into a campaign since 2016-17, when they were relegated from the top tier (two points).

Chris McKenna
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Last season, Sunderland were renowned for being a well-drilled and organised side, with only Arsenal, Manchester City and Brighton conceding fewer goals.

But Regis Le Bris' side have now let in 17 goals in just nine games in this campaign.

That helps explain why they have won just a single league game so far - against Fulham on 30 August.

They definitely miss Dan Ballard in their back line, with the defender out since late September due to a hamstring injury.

But they continually make errors, as proven here with Coventry's first two goals - and centre-back Omar Alderete will now be suspended for next week's clash with Chelsea.

They did at least show some more attacking threat here with 17 attempts on goal and more possession that their opponents, but it was not nearly enough.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Coventry's performance

What did you make of Sunderland's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.