2025 will go down as one of the best calendar years in Sunderland’s recent history – and it certainly started how it was going to continue after Regis Le Bris’ team beat promotion rivals Sheffield United
2-1 in a pulsating New Year’s Day encounter.
In an action-packed first half, there were three goals, a penalty save, and a plethora of missed opportunities at both ends in what transpired to be a really open encounter.
Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United employed a really high line in this game, and this played into Sunderland’s hands as Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda used all their pace to get in behind the opposition defence. The strike pair notched a goal each – and missed a few other opportunities to add to their tally.
To their credit, Sheffield brought a lot to the game too, and Le Bris’ team had goalkeeper Anthony Patterson to thank as he made some huge saves, including a penalty stop from Kieffer Moore; the Welsh striker’s tame kick was stopped by the outstretched legs of Patterson in the Sunderland goal.
Mayenda had put Sunderland in the lead after he forced Blades defender Jack Robinson into a miskick and then took control of the ball to beat Michael Cooper in the goal. After getting a brief respite after giving away the penalty, Luke O’Nien’s misery was compounded as he headed a cross into his own net from just a few yards out to bring Sheffield back into the game.
As both sides exchanged blows, Sunderland were missing way too many chances but just ten minutes before the break Wilson Isidor finally got the home side a second with a class run and finish to put us 2-1 up going into the break.
Naturally, the pace of the first half could not be sustained, and Sunderland’s chances dried up in the second half despite some good breaks from the man of the match Mayenda, who was displaying a newfound confidence in himself.
Le Bris would have been thrilled by our resolute defending and Chris Wilder even commented on how difficult it was to break through the defence in his post-match interview.
I have to say credit to them, they defended with their lives, we could not get through them, but it is very unlike us to give them the two goals like we did tonight.
They put everything on the line and it gave them and their fans the belief that they could get the result that they were after.
Equally, Le Bris did comment on the change of approach by going with both Isidor and Mayenda up top and suggested that it brought huge energy to Sunderland’s attacking play.
We played a different kind of game as we had a different line up with more speed, more pace, probably a little less control of the ball but were a big threat in behind.
It was not only counter attack, the team worked very hard today, the fans were also impressive today, they helped us during the difficult parts of the game.
Today we are happy, but it is a case of one more game at a time.
In what was a crucial win to start the year with, no fan could have envisaged the success that would follow over the following 12 months.
If the club has half the success that came our way this calendar year, there certainly won’t be many complaining this time next year.
