View from the Opposition: Sunderland boss Régis Le Bris on Palace challenge

Match previews

17 hours ago

Crystal Palace play at the Stadium of Light for the first time in almost 10 years, taking on Sunderland this Saturday (17th January, 15:00 GMT). Here's what Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris had to say about the fixture...

Factfile

Manager: Régis Le Bris
League Position: 10th
Ground: Stadium of Light
Founded: 1879

In their manager's words...

In his pre-match press conference Sunderland manager Le Bris said he was anticipating: “A tough challenge at home against Palace.

"When you have a bad period, you always want to react, so it shows, once again, how tough and demanding this league is.

"They struggled in the FA Cup and they are not in a good run. They have a strong group, they are well coached, with good experience, and they are struggling. It shows that it's tough to play in this league, and a reaction can happen like a snap everywhere.

"It's really clear: stay focused on our strength, the way we want to play, with the energy, the humility, and the collective work."

Quote Icons

If we reach this target, we will set another one straight away but so far, it’s not done
—Régis Le Bris

On Palace's recent injury troubles, Le Bris added: "They are still really strong, they have good players.

"I think it's the normal pathway of the season – you have injuries, suspensions and players not available – but the depth of the squad is still there, and they have different options."

Going into the game off the back of an impressive first half to the campaign – with 30 points, seven wins, and just five defeats, so far from their first season back in the Premier League – Le Bris noted: "The target remains the same for us. Data might say something different but we have our own target. We want to reach those 40 points and it's not done yet.

"If we reach this target, we will set another one straight away but so far, it’s not done. We don’t expect anything from our opponents, we still want to build our season."

Sunderland Team News

In his pre-match press conference, Le Bris also confirmed forward Brian Brobbey had recovered from a minor hamstring issue sustained in last week's FA Cup win at Everton, and would be fit to face Palace.

Sunderland will have been hoping to have had two more returning players from the Africa Cup of Nations back in the squad, but Arthur Masuaku and Bertrand Traore both suffered injuries on international duty.

Noah Sadiki and Reinildo are back from Morocco, however, and are available for Saturday's game, but Chemsdine Talbi and Habib Diarra are still in action for Morocco and Senegal respectively, who will compete in Sunday's final.

Their Season So Far...

The Premier League's surprise package of the season?

Sunderland are surely leading contenders for such a title at this point in 2025/26, with just five defeats thus far in their first top-flight campaign since the 2016/17 season.

Defensive solidity – inspired by the outstanding performances of goalkeeper Robin Roefs, who has kept a league sixth-highest seven clean sheets so far this campaign, including one at Selhurst Park back in September in a 0-0 draw – has been crucial to Le Bris' side consistently picking up points.

So, too, has been an excellent team spirit; whilst the Black Cats are winless in their last five Premier League matches, with four draws in that timeframe, they have fought back to claim points against Premier League title challengers Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester City in recent weeks, as well as a win at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in October.

Palace were arguably the better team when the two sides met back in September – can the Eagles go one better at the Stadium of Light this time around?

Match Action: Crystal Palace 0-0 Sunderland

The Boss: Régis Le Bris

A former Rennes and Laval defender, Le Bris has proven a revelation on Wearside, despite many fans not holding a great deal of hope when first appointed.

His first season in charge ended with promotion in the most dramatic way possible, a late turnaround in the play-off final against Sheffield United at Wembley seeing an explosion of red and white jubilation.

Le Bris spent a decade as a youth coach at Lorient in his native Brittany before taking charge of the first team in 2022. As well as the normal coaching qualifications, he also holds a doctorate in physiology and biomechanics and a diploma in the mental training of elite athletes.

He signed a new deal with Sunderland in the summer following promotion.

Classic Highlights | Sunderland 1-4 Crystal Palace

STAT ATTACK

Sunderland are winless in their last five home league games against Crystal Palace (D3 L2). They’ve lost two of their last three against the Eagles, more than they had in their first 15 (W7 D7 L1).
The away side hasn’t lost any of the last eight Premier League meetings between Sunderland and Crystal Palace (W5 D3), since the Eagles’ 3-1 win at Selhurst Park in August 2013.
Sunderland remain unbeaten in their 10 Premier League home games this season (W5 D5); in English top-flight history, only seven newly promoted sides have had a longer unbeaten home start to a campaign, most recently Ipswich Town in 1992-93 (11).
After failing to score in just four of their first 14 Premier League games this season, Sunderland have since failed to score in four of their last seven matches. Since the start of December, the Black Cats have scored the fewest goals (4) and have the lowest xG total (6.6).
Two of the top three goalkeepers in the Premier League this season for goals prevented could feature in this game in Sunderland’s Robin Roefs (5.1 – 21 goals conceded ex. own goals, 26.1 xGoT conceded) and Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson (3.9 – 23 goals conceded ex. own goals, 26.9 xGoT conceded).

Match Details

Sunderland v Crystal Palace

Saturday, 17th January
15:00 GMT
Premier League
Stadium of Light
Live audio commentary on Palace TV+.

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