Sunderland emerge from their winless run — and impressively so!
After a Christmas and New Year run that hardly represented a “slump” but was marked by one or two less-than-convincing displays and culminated in a disappointing defeat at the hands of Brentford, this
felt like an ideal opportunity for the Lads to rediscover the winning habit, given that our immediate run of fixtures feels extremely favourable and could essentially see Sunderland edge over the safety line with ample room to spare.
Doubtless reinvigorated by last weekend’s FA Cup success and with Noah Sadiki and Reinildo returning to the Stadium of Light following their AFCON odyssey, Régis Le Bris’ men recovered from the concession of a strange-looking goal from Yéremy Pino to overturn the deficit with strikes from Enzo Le Fée and Brian Brobbey, and adding to an ever-growing list of Crystal Palace problems in the process, with manager Oliver Glasner already on the way out and captain Marc Guéhi seemingly bound for Manchester City.
Ahead of the game, I felt the visitors from south London weren’t to be underestimated — this division has a habit of punishing such mindsets — but despite falling behind, it was hard not to be impressed with the resilience and focus demonstrated by Sunderland, and after an energetic, potent and generally dominant second half display, we ran out as deserved winners against a side for whom choppy waters may lie ahead.
Brian Brobbey — Sunderland’s red and white force of nature
If the signing of the powerful Dutchman from Ajax represented something of a gamble during the summer transfer window, he’s starting to repay the transfer fee and then some, because this was as dynamic, impactful and downright brutal a display as I’ve seen from a Sunderland striker in years.
It wasn’t just the goal (itself a very well-taken second half strike that gave us a lead we would never relinquish) — it was the way he set about the visiting defence, rarely letting them settle, holding the ball up and bringing his teammates into play — as well as taking more than his fair share of the lumps along the way.
To my eyes at least, Brobbey seems to relish such battles and when he left the pitch to a standing ovation late in the second half, it felt as much in response to his all-round display and the sheer workload he’d blasted through as it did for what proved to be the winning goal.
He’s looking ever more like a perfect fit for this side and he’s becoming a very popular figure with the red and white faithful. Keep going, Brian!
Enzo Le Fée makes his mark once again
“You want a response? I’ll give you a response!”
OK, perhaps I’m being presumptuous and putting words into the mouth of the French magician but after recent events and all that talk about how he “owed us” (he didn’t, by the way), why should we not celebrate the fact that this sublimely gifted footballer both plays for and has clearly taken to life at Sunderland AFC as much as any other player in the squad?
He slotted home the equaliser following a sharp Sunderland break and as is generally the case every time he takes to the field, he was more or less everywhere, carrying his share of the load in both attack and defence — importantly so, because Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki weren’t at their best yesterday — which went a long way towards the eventual victory.
If I was a young Sunderland fan, I’d be starry-eyed when watching Le Fée. As it is, I’m thirty six, I’m increasingly grumpy and I don’t move very quickly — and I’m still starry-eyed when I watch Le Fée. He’s just so good.
Is Dan Neil’s Sunderland career drawing to a close?
He got a warm reception when he came out to warm up and as Régis Le Bris has previously disclosed, Neil remains a professional presence within the home dressing room at the Stadium of Light, but it’s also hard to escape the reality that this chapter appears to be drawing to a close and that the former skipper will soon be moving on to pastures new.
Sunderland AFC is now a very different club to the organization that Neil played such a key role in restoring to its place among the elite of English football, but if this was the latest waypoint on his long goodbye to Wearside, there was no hint of bad feelings or bitterness, and in an era when players often don’t think twice about throwing tantrums if things don’t work out behind the scenes, that says something about Neil’s approach to football and his respect for our club.
