Bottom club Sunderland to stick with manager Le Bris

What the report says

Sunderland are standing by manager Regis Le Bris despite a difficult opening to the Premier League season, according to BBC Sport Football. The club are bottom of the table after taking just one point from their first nine league matches, including a 3-1 defeat away to newly promoted Coventry on Saturday. Even so, the board is said to believe the French coach can improve results and is focusing on stability rather than making a change.

Le Bris, who joined from Lorient in June 2024, has already overseen a strong period in Sunderland’s recent rise. He guided the club back to the Premier League after an eight-year absence and then led them to seventh place in their first season back, which secured European qualification. BBC Sport notes that this was Sunderland’s first place in European competition for 53 years.

The club’s broader schedule adds context to the pressure on the manager. Sunderland are also competing in the Europa League, where they have won two and drawn one of their league-phase matches so far, and they are due to host Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday before facing Chelsea in the league at the weekend. The situation highlights the contrast between their continental progress and their struggles in domestic form.