“He is getting better game after game, when he is in the box, he is a MASSIVE THREAT the his opponent”- Sunderland’s new ‘massive threat’ as Le Bris pinpoints key factor behind Palace win

Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris hailed his side’s resilience and determination after they came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, extending their unbeaten home record in the process.

The Black Cats were forced to dig deep at the Stadium of Light after falling behind, but they showed impressive character to overturn the deficit and condemn Oliver Glasner’s injury-hit Palace side to another disappointing result.

Le Bris was quick to praise both his players’ fighting spirit and the impact of striker Brian Brobbey, who scored the decisive goal.

Crystal Palace took the lead midway through the first half when Yeremy Pino netted his second Premier League goal of the season.

The winger capitalised on Sunderland’s failure to properly deal with a corner, producing a looping effort that struck the post before bouncing into the net to put the visitors ahead.

Sunderland responded almost immediately. Just three minutes later, Enzo Le Fée restored parity by calmly finishing from close range after meeting Nordi Mukiele’s low delivery from the right, ensuring the sides went into the break level after an evenly contested first half.

After the interval, Sunderland asserted their authority and controlled large spells of the game. Their pressure eventually paid off 19 minutes from time, with some slick build-up play proving decisive.

Noah Sadiki played a key role in the move before Brian Brobbey finished confidently with his right foot, sending the ball looping over goalkeeper Dean Henderson and into the net to complete the turnaround.

The win marked Brobbey’s fourth goal of the campaign and underlined his growing influence in the side.

It also extended Sunderland’s unbeaten run at home in league action to 11 matches and lifted them up to eighth place in the table on 33 points.

Speaking after the match, Le Bris acknowledged the challenge posed by the opposition while expressing pride in his team’s response.

“It was another tough game because Crystal Palace are a good side,” he said. “They are experienced and well organised.”

The Sunderland boss reserved particular praise for Brobbey, highlighting the striker’s steady improvement and importance to the team’s attacking play.

“Brian is getting better game after game — you can really feel it,” Le Bris explained. “His team-mates are increasingly comfortable playing through him when he is in the box.

“When he is there, he is a massive threat. He has built a strong understanding with the players around him, and now we are starting to see the best version of Brian.”

Le Bris also urged perspective when assessing Sunderland’s progress, stressing that the team remains a work in progress despite their encouraging form.

“It’s important to remember where we were six or seven months ago,” he added. “We are still a relatively new side in this league, and while things are going well, it remains fragile.

“The opposition is always strong, the situations are always different, and the players showed great character and maturity to deal with that.”

The result further reinforced Sunderland’s strength at home and highlighted the growing belief within the squad, with Le Bris confident that continued unity, resilience, and development will be key as the season progresses.