Sunderland

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Enzo Le Fee has to be weaved into Sunderland's team and ideally in a central position, says former striker Marco Gabbiadini.

Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle, commentator Nick Barnes said there is a dilemma for Regis le Bris in whether to continue to use Habib Diarra or find a central role for Le Fee.

Barnes explained: "There's a debate that be had about Diarra because if he wants to get the wingers in the team, it means he can push Le Fee into the 10 position or the eight position, which he feels is Le Fee's best position."

And Gabbiadini offered: "Look, it's hard that the dynamic changes for the manager. Sometimes he has to play Le Fee in a wide position because other people are injured.

"But yes, getting him into the middle of the park, he's been so influential and, you know, he sees those little openings and finds little pockets of space, but it can leave you unbalanced in other ways.

"I think if he's fit, he's got to play because he's, he's such a clever footballer. Hard work is brilliant and everyone has to work hard. But, you know, I think at times Diarra is running, but is he running in the right areas?

"Does he need to run? My favourite saying was, 'good players know when to stand still' and Le Fee does that. He makes himself available for his team-mates. So, you know, the manager's got decisions to make."

• Listen to the debate and callers on the Black Cats

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Wolves at Molineux (15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Reflecting on last week's 5-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, Le Bris said: "It has been a long week and the review was important. The game was a warning about how demanding this league is. When you drop your standards slightly, you get punished. We all have a responsibility, and we have to push forward."

• Wolves have had a "difficult season" but some good results recently at home and will be "generating momentum for next season".

• Jocelin Ta Bi "should be available this weekend". A decision will be made on wingers Nilson Angulo and Bertrand Traore, who are both "in a good place".

• On the pair's possible return: "We tried to find other options but it's not easy. I hope they will help but also, we know they haven't played for a long period so we can't expect a huge impact straight away. Sometimes you have to wait, but it will help."

• Le Bris acknowledged the Black Cats' defensive issues. "I don't know if we dropped our standards or if our opponent found solutions to hurt us. Probably both. We are working hard, it's not easy because it's about small margins."

• On targeting qualifying for Europe: "The players are always ambitious but at the same time, we have to say humble. If you start dreaming, maybe you can drop your standards. Probably the lesson from the previous games, two semi-finalists from the Europa League, nine goals we conceded and this is a lesson about our level right now. So the next challenge is to be competitive, to win and we'll see what the three points mean in the table."

• On finishing above Newcastle: "Hard to say, every game is different. It's important for us to bounce back and then we'll see. You can't control the opponent. I expect different behaviours from the squad (to Forest) then we'll see."

Listen to more from Le Bris speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle on BBC Sounds here or by clicking play on the clip above

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We asked for your views on Sunderland's chances for European qualification as they currently sit 12th in the Premier League.

Here are some of your comments:

Dave: Not if they continue to employ a tortoise-versus-hare approach to winning matches, especially in home games.

Stu: I don't think we will make Europe this season. The past two results may have impacted our chances due to the hit in goal difference. Mathematically it is still possible, but realistically I think mid-table 10th or 11th place is looking the likely outcome.

Geoff: No. And no they're not ready. Too inexperienced. Not enough strength in depth and most certainly not a big enough squad. Enjoy our success in our first season back and strengthen in all departments over the summer.

Robert: We're not ready for European football. We need to consolidate next season and push on again. Regis le Bris has been a revelation and I'm sure he will want to address the poor (really poor) performance the other night [against Nottingham Forest] and ensure we finish the last four games stronger. If we can get top 10, then great. Talk of Europe has been fanciful media hype.

David: Will we get into Europe? I sincerely hope not. We're not ready and are ahead of schedule simply by being in the Premier League. No, give us another couple of transfer windows and another season at the very least. Be careful what you wish for as they say.

Ross: I don't understand this obsession with getting European football in the first season back in the Premier league. It has been a huge achievement securing survival so early in the season when every pundit had Sunderland as nailed-on certainties to go down. There needs to be a period of consolidation as we have seen how badly playing in Europe affects league form with the likes of Forest and Crystal Palace.

Felix: I think we could dig in and get the results needed for Europe. We proved at the start of the season that we have the capability and character to get results. I don't think as a team we're ready for Europe yet. The season has been a massive success and we should definitely have Europe in our eyes but use the next year to build a bit of Premier League stability and then push on.

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Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini believes there is no point in criticising Regis le Bris' side after their 5-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest last Friday as they have been "consistent" and "relentless" in their first season back in the Premier League.

The Black Cats struggled for much of the game as Forest ran riot in the first half and took an insurmountable 4-0 lead before Elliot Anderson added another in the second half to hand Sunderland their biggest loss this season.

Gabbiadini, speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle, said: "Forest were ruthless. They were pressing the ball. They were having two or three shots at goal and then it was going out for a corner, and then they'd score from the corner. We almost talk about the fine margins, and I think that's one of the biggest factors in the Premier League.

"If you look at Sunderland this year, we haven't had too many bad days and we haven't had too many days where five, six, seven of the players have been off colour. We've been consistent, and the work rate has been incredible. The manager uses the word intensity a lot and intensity is one of the hardest things to achieve in any walk of life. Doing the same thing over and over again to the highest level is really difficult.

"We've seen a team this year that have been relentless at times, who have really ground their heels into teams when they've got them on the rack and turned games around from being a goal down.

"There's no point just criticising people, people make mistakes. We haven't made many this year and the goalkeeper has hardly put a foot wrong in all the games he's played. It wasn't his best night and he got punished for it."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

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It's still all to play for in Sunderland's four remaining Premier League games.

The permutations for getting into Europe this season are complex, but BBC Sport's Dale Johnson has broken them down here.

Do you think the Stadium of Light will host European football next season? If so, why are you confident? If not, what can take the club on to that next step?

Get in touch with your views here

Gavin Henderson
Fan writer

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What a strange feeling.

Despite spending the week looking rather optimistically ahead to the visit of Nottingham Forest to Sunderland on Friday night, the game was over by half time as we shipped four goals and then conceded another in the second period - the heaviest defeat we've suffered in a very long time.

I honestly never saw that level of performance coming from us. That said, you've got to give Forest a lot of credit because they were excellent, though we certainly didn't help ourselves and just didn't look like a side motivated to finish in the top eight, which hurts a lot.

We've now conceded nine goals in our last two games, and the manager and the players have got to address this when we play Wolves at the weekend. I know they're already down, but they're not completely useless and have achieved some alright results over the last few months, so we've got to be careful. Anything less than a victory will be looked upon as a bad result and could have a massive impact on next season and how we recruit, because while a win would keep us in the conversation for Europe, a defeat would probably have us feeling like our season is already over.

I don't mean to be too negative here, but what we saw on Friday night just wasn't acceptable, and the players owe the fans a performance. Granit Xhaka said in his post on Instagram that the focus would turn to putting things right - and I'm sure that has been the case - but we can only quantify that with results and performance levels, and the group now have to prove their doubters wrong at Wolves' Molineux Stadium this weekend.

Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external

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We asked for your views on whether the mood is taking a turn at the Stadium of Light, particularly amid the recent downturn in form and reports that Regis le Bris could be sacked if the club don't qualify for European football this season.

Here are some of your thoughts:

Leon: One big defeat and this is way the club and the supporters respond. I'm amazed. Back the team and back the manager! We've had a superb season and I think Europe is a bridge too far. We should consolidate and get ready for next season. Look at what happened to Newcastle with so many European games. We are a newly-promoted side, let's not make the mistake of thinking we are bigger than we are.

Dave: There's absolutely no way we should be letting Le Bris go this summer. This season has exceeded all expectations, and to suggest that we should - or even could - upgrade is nonsensical.

Jeff: I just think a bit of complacency has developed. The next couple of games will be crucial to Le Bris' long-term prospects.

Andrew: He is a great manager. There's no ego to worry him. He has done a brilliant job this season, don't forget we were widely predicted for relegation at the beginning and it's never looked like being on the cards. Viva Le Bris! Onwards and upwards.

Keith: We've stopped pressing like earlier in the season and we aren't working as a unit. I think in recent weeks some of the players have switched off.

Matthew: We've looked disjointed at the back for a while now; probably since playing Brighton at home in March, which then followed through to the Tyne-Wear derby. In the past two games the luck has ran out, in terms of not being truly punished at the back. There's work to do in the summer for me.

Josh: The objective was surely avoiding relegation this season. It would be madness to sack Le Bris, given what he has done for us. In an era of managerial turbulence, a bit of stability goes a long way.

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Despite exceeding expectations at numerous points this season, the mood at the Stadium of Light is taking a turn.

Sunderland have recorded three defeats in their past five Premier League games, also conceding more than three goals in back-to-back league games for the first time since September 1958.

In addition, only Burnley (31) and Tottenham (30) have conceded more league goals than Sunderland (27) in 2026, despite only Arsenal (12) and Manchester City (17) having conceded less league goals than the Black Cats (18) at the turn of the year.

These stats illustrate a stark contrast to the newly-promoted side who were taking the top flight by storm at the start of the campaign.

Sunderland boss Regis le Bris admitted it has been "a long and tough season" for his side in the aftermath of their 5-0 thumping by Nottingham Forest on Friday night, adding that things feel "a bit on the edge" after recent results.

The fans' verdict following the defeat was also pretty damning, with one supporter suggesting there is "no quality in the team" and another stating "we have rode our luck for too long".

Former Black Cats captain Gary Bennett also waded in on the conversation, saying the players "need to look in the mirror" on BBC Radio Newcastle.

But the question is: does the blame lie with the players, the manager or the club's hierarchy?

Well, last week, Talksport, external reported Sunderland owners Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori have not ruled out sacking Le Bris at the end of this season, if he fails to secure European football.

"I don't want to lose this manager," Black Cats fan Peter told BBC Radio 5 Live's 606 over the weekend. "He has been absolutely amazing for us, but the owner is very ambitious. He has already changed his top management, so I'm really worried for Le Bris."

However, former Premier League striker Chris Sutton believes it would be a "madness" of a decision to sack the Frenchman as "the fact they have stayed up so comfortably is an amazing feat in itself."

Why do you think Sunderland's form has taken a downturn in recent weeks? How are you feeling about the current situation? What do you believe needs to change moving forward?

Let us know your thoughts here

Pundits Martin Keown and Steph Houghton join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• West Ham 2-1 Everton

• Wolves 0-1 Tottenham

• Arsenal 1-0 Newcastle

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Reacting at full-time of Fridy's 5-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest on BBC Radio Newcastle, former Sunderland captain Gary Bennett said: "They need to look in the mirror. That's what they've got to do.

You look at the game overall and think, when did it all start? They were sloppy and that started from the goalkeeper and defenders early doors. A couple of times we were nearly caught. That was the warning.

We still contiued doing the same old, making the same mistakes, being sloppy.

But, getting caught out on those set-plays - come on. This is the Premier League.

Listen to the full reaction below or on BBC Sounds

We asked for your thoughts after Friday’s Premier League game between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Sunderland fans

Lynne: So disappointing! No excuse for such a poor performance. No quality in the team.

Keith: The stuff of nightmares. The game was even till the first goal, but then energy ran out and mistakes crept in. Forest had done their homework and scored three times by good wing play and neat crosses - helped by our shocking marking. At least we showed a bit of fight in the second half. We had a quick and traffic free journey home - everyone else had left long ago! We end the season with a whimper.

James: We've been due this result for a while - have rode our luck for too long. Personally, 5-0 at home should result in a fine for the full squad.

Dave: I'm proud that at 4-0 the fans were in full voice and behind the team. Forest were efficient but we were inept. Played the game like a training drill with no intensity. We aren't ready for the demands of European football. If we had got it we'd be next year's Forest.

Forest fans

Sean: Where to begin? Struggled to score from set-pieces all season, and like a bus three came at once in that first half! Wood is back in the goals, Igor Jesus continues where he left off last week and is there any stopping MGW? Not looking likely. Even when we stepped off in the second half Anderson pops up with a gift of a goal. Rode our luck with the disallowed goal but it didn't affect the outcome. Mathematically still in the relegation fight, but eight points clear and a performance like that against a strong Sunderland side has laid the gauntlet down for Tottenham and West Ham. Dare I say we should only focus on the Europa League semi now?

Martyn: Looks like we've found a way to play. Good old fashioned 4-4-2! Pressed high and capitalised on the mistakes. MGW has become the goalscorer we knew was in there and great to see the whole team fight for each other. Massive result!

Dave: A sublime first half which was followed by an isolated incident of game management in the second in the context of this season. To a man, they played a blinder and credit to the coaches too. A real team performance all round. Whisper it, but we might be all right now.

Soulalways: Fantastic result from my beloved Reds! We should not be down at the foot of the table because we have class players who can win games and trophies. The bad decisions of the past year have landed us in this mess, but we proved we can climb out of it after a great result at Sunderland. Going forward, we have nothing to fear - let’s get out there and beat the rest of the opposition home or away. We still love Nuno at West Ham and I hope they stay up and the spuds go down...that would be justice! COYR!

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport Journalist

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Sunderland could have moved into the top eight with a win, potentially further boosting their hopes of European football next season.

But Regis le Bris' side were shocked by Nottingham Forest, conceding three goals in six first-half minutes and were never able to get back into the game.

Friday's result was just the third time Sunderland have lost a league game on home soil by five or more goals - and the first since a 6-1 loss to Birmingham City in April 1958.

And worryingly for Sunderland, only Burnley (31) and Tottenham Hotspur (30) have conceded more goals than them (27) in the Premier League in 2026.

Before the new year only Arsenal (12) and Manchester City (17) had let in fewer than them in the top flight (18).

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Painful. It hurts to concede a big defeat at home like this so early in the first half, because the game was over after 45 minutes. 4-0 down at half-time is hard to explain. It is a strong reminder because when you drop your standards just by 10% your opponent can kill you, and that was the case in the first half.

"After that I think the lads tried to react and showed better energy with strong support from the fans, but it was not enough. At the end we were a bit disorganised [trying] to score at least once and then comes the fifth goal.

"We have different explanations. Is it individually? Is it collectively? Is it tactically? We have many options to explain this big defeat, but in the end, it is about our standards. When you are not at the level, this league is so demanding and you get punished.

"It has been a long and tough season. We can feel that we are a bit on the edge. It is hard to maintain and sustain the level but this is our job and we want to be proud of our season and our connection to the fans. It is not possible to give up, I don't think that was the case today but we started too slowly and they were really efficient. Their game plan was perfect and we did not adapt. It's a good lesson and important for the future."

On set-piece frailties: "We felt it last week against Villa, that those situations can hurt us, so we have strong work to do with the coaching staff. It is not only behind the scenes but on the pitch where you have to get better."

On the fans: "They are impressive, probably better than us today to be fair. We are proud of their support. When it is tough, you have to feel the support of your fans and they were behind us. It is a big responsibility to give the right answer to the last four games we have had."

Did you know?

• Sunderland have conceded more than three goals in back-to-back league games (also 4-3 vs Aston Villa) for the first time since September 1958 in the second tier (0-5 vs Swansea, 0-6 vs Sheffield Wednesday).

• Only Burnley (31) and Tottenham Hotspur (30) have conceded more goals in the Premier League in 2026 than Sunderland (27) - at the turn of the year, only Arsenal (12) and Manchester City (17) had conceded fewer goals in the top-flight than the Black Cats (18).

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

Have your say on Sunderland's performance

What did you make of Forest's display?

Come back on Saturday for a selection of your replies

It's two changes for both sides. For Sunderland, Trai Hume and Dan Ballard come in for Luke O'Nien and Reinildo Mandava, who both drop to the bench.

Omar Alderete was substituted early in the second half in Sunderland's 4-3 loss to Aston Villa, but he starts tonight.

Sunderland XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Hume; Xhaka, Sadiki; Rigg, Diarra, Le Fee; Brobbey.

Subs: Ellborg, Cirkin, Geertruida, Talbi, Mayenda, O'Nien, Mandava, Isidor, Jones.

Forest's Jair Cunha is in for the injured Murillo at centre-back. Igor Jesus starts with Dilane Bakwa benched.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Cunha, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Jesus, Gibbs-White, Hutchinson; Wood.

Subs: Ortega, Morato, Awoniyi, Ndoye, Dominguez, Yates, McAtee, Netz, Bakwa.

Prudent Nsengiyumva
BBC Sport journalist

A Sunderland side still in contention for European qualification face improving Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light on Friday (20:00 BST). Both sides are looking to hold their nerve in the closing stages of the season to achieve their goals.

Can Sunderland rediscover home strength?

The Stadium of Light has been a key asset for Sunderland this season, but that advantage has waned in recent weeks. Regis le Bris' side have lost three of their past four home league games after beginning the campaign unbeaten in their first 12.

Despite the recent wobble, their overall home record remains impressive. Winning their final three home games would take Sunderland to 38 points at the Stadium of Light – the best home return by a promoted Premier League side since Ipswich Town and Charlton Athletic in 2000-01.

Defensive vulnerability is a concern, though. Sunderland have conceded four or more goals in five of their past 13 league matches, highlighting a need for greater control against opponents who tend to thrive on the counter-attack.

Rigg matching club history at 18

Chris Rigg's emergence has been one of Sunderland's standout stories this season. At 18 years and 305 days, his fine goal against Aston Villa last weekend made him just the third teenager to score in the Premier League for the club, after Michael Bridges and Connor Wickham.

Forest aiming to extend unbeaten run

Nottingham Forest remain in the relegation fight, five points clear of the bottom three. However, Vitor Pereira's side are unbeaten in seven matches (W4, D3), their longest run since a nine-game stretch between December 2024 and January 2025.

That run has eased pressure as they also look ahead to a Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa.

Their 4–1 win over Burnley last time out was particularly important, marking the first time Forest had won a Premier League match by more than two goals after conceding first.

Morgan Gibbs White remains Forest's main attacking influence. His hat-trick against Burnley made him only the third player to score a Premier League treble for the club, after Kevin Campbell and Chris Wood.

With 12 league goals this season, the Forest captain is enjoying his most productive campaign.

Sunderland lost last week, in an absolute thriller against Aston Villa, but the way they fought back in that game kind of summed up why they have had such a good season.

They kept having a go and got back from 3-1 to 3-3 in the final few minutes before Villa's last-gasp winner.

Forest got in the goals last time out too, scoring four against Burnley, but this game feels like it will be far tighter and quite cagey.

A draw would be a decent result for Forest in the circumstances, with them sitting five points above Spurs, who are in the final relegation place.

Vitor Pereira's side have been tough to beat recently - they have not lost any of their past seven games and they have been good on the road too.

Even so, I have a sneaky feeling Sunderland will find a way of winning this one at home, and leave Forest with a bit more work to do.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Sunderland, Wolves and Bournemouth are among the clubs interested in signing 25-year-old Queens Park Rangers and Jamaica striker Rumarn Burrell. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Huzaifah Khan
BBC Sport journalist

Sunderland boss Regis le Bris has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news, Le Bris confirmed Nilson Angulo and Bertrand Traore are close to returning and could be back on the training pitch next week. He added that Jocelin Ta Bi returned to training this week and "felt good, which is good news".

• The French boss confirmed several players were unwell for the defeat by Aston Villa but it showed how Sunderland now have "more options" who can come in and help "influence" games.

• On what losing the high-scoring game against Villa last weekend showed him, he said: "The league is really demanding. It's another reminder. We are moving forward and we are growing, and I think it shows good signs for the future."

• On the chaos surrounding other clubs who have sacked managers this season and whether he is proud of the job he has done to avoid that talk, Le Bris said he doesn't look at other clubs or "too far in the future".

• He added: "A strong project, clear identity, clear teamwork, so I'm not alone. It's an interesting job and the results can influence the judgement."

• Le Bris was also asked about full-back Dennis Cirkin's future with only 12 months remaining on his contract. He responded: "We'll see. It's a bit early to give a specific opinion because we never know, but at the minute it's clear that we have three strong full-backs and the competition is high, so it's hard to be the fourth in that situation. At the end of his contract, I don't know - the future is the future."

• Onn what he expects from Forest: "A strong team. They are in the semi-final of the Europa League, unbeaten in their past seven games and have nice, good players. They struggled at the beginning of the season, which shows how demanding this league is because if you don't get the momentum, you will chase the momentum and the confidence, the energy are sometimes a bit different and difficult to find. So they are getting better and it's clear they are now in good form, so it will be tactical. It will be demanding but an exciting challenge."

Hit play above to hear Le Bris speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes, or listen on BBC Sounds here

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