Sunderland

Everton's Jordan Pickford tells Kelly Somers what it will be like to face his boyhood club Sunderland for the first time since swapping Wearside for Merseyside in 2017.

Football Focus pundits Nedum Onuoha and Ellen White look at what Nordi Mukiele has brought to Sunderland at both ends of the pitch, ahead of their game with Everton on Monday.

I'm torn here because I'm always wrong about Sunderland, and I know that means I've got a large fanbase on Wearside.

Because of that, I don't want to jinx the Black Cats by saying they will win... but it is also hard to make a case for Everton getting anything.

My 606 co-host Roman Kemp said Hill-Dickinson Stadium will be a fortress for them this season, but Tottenham didn't have too much trouble there last Sunday in their 3-0 win.

David Moyes' side really need to respond after that defeat but what he needs more than anything, as he goes back to one of his former clubs, is a finisher.

Beto misses so many chances but I'm backing him to put his boots on the right feet this week and score to grab his side a point.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport journalist

Sunderland have equalled their best start to a Premier League season and next they host an Everton team who have won just once in six matches.

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes going into Monday's game at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland's superlative start

Sunderland head into match round 10 having made their joint-best start to a Premier League season.

Seventeen points from nine games equals the efforts of the 1999-2000 side of Peter Reid, who went on to finish seventh, and represents the sixth-best start by any promoted side in Premier League history.

On this occasion, the mastermind of Sunderland's excellent start has been Regis le Bris. The 49-year-old has confounded expectations since he was appointed in July 2024 as an unheralded replacement for Michael Beale.

Le Bris had just been relegated from Ligue 1 with Lorient in his previous role but proved to be an immediate success on Wearside, ending Sunderland's eight-year exile from the top flight by beating Sheffield United in the play-off final and then guiding his side to the lofty heights of the Premier League's top four.

One reason for Sunderland's great start is the relentless running of their two central midfielders - Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki have covered more ground than any other players in the Premier League this season.

The pair cost Sunderland £28m this summer - £13m for Xhaka, £15m for Sadiki – which already looks to be a real bargain for players so integral to Sunderland's strong start.

Toffees coming unstuck in attack

Sunderland next face an Everton side who have dropped off following a positive start of their own.

The Toffees have won just one of their last six Premier League games, losing 2-0 against Manchester City and 3-0 against Tottenham in their ast two outings.

Everton's failure to score in those matches is the latest sign of a wider malaise. While Everton were successful in recruiting the likes of Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall during the summer, the Merseysider's squad still lacks an elite centre forward.

Beto and Thierno Barry, David Moyes' current two options at number nine, have scored once between them in 18 Premier League appearances.

Grealish currently tops the Premier League rankings for creating chances from open play (19) but as a team, Everton simply aren't taking those chances.

They have scored nine goals from an expected goals tally of 12.4 , with only Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace underperforming to a greater extent in front of goal.

The Toffees have already lost at promoted Leeds this season and another defeat at the Stadium of Light would consign Everton to three successive losses under Moyes for the first time since October 2011, while they haven't lost three in a row under the Scotsman without scoring in 20 years.

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has been speaking to the media before Monday's Premier League game against Everton at the Stadium of Light (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Peru defender Omar Alderete is "getting better" after missing the win over Chelsea with concussion and trained with the club on Friday

• On the important role captain Granit Xhaka plays in making team-mates believe they can compete in the Premier League: "He leads by example and gives this faith and hope. When we play away against Chelsea he believes we can win and he shows it. He tells it - in the dressing room and everywhere. So you want to believe that it's possible, you want to follow him."

• On empowering his players: "As a coach you do not want to be the main man. That is not my purpose. I want to give knowledge, power and responsibility to the squad. We have players on the pitch to manage micro situations. We are improving our level and are now able to be more proactive, flexible and adaptive to solve and fix problems and to size up opportunities as well."

• Opponents Everton are "doing well" and are "a good example" for Sunderland: "They are a bit inconsistent but with the ability to score and to win against everyone, I think."

• Why David Moyes struggled during his time as Sunderland manager: "Sometimes you have different successes and sometimes you struggle and have to deal with different challenges. From his background and career, if you stay at that level you need to have qualities and I think that is the case."

• On competing in the Premier League: "It's the best league in the world. I enjoy every game. I enjoy the managers. I enjoy the stadiums, I enjoy everything. We know the dynamic is really positive. Consistency is probably the main word. You can be competitive over a short period but over the full league is totally different. So this will be our next challenge."

• On Sunderland's target: "It's important to be on 17 points. We have this target in our mind. If we can get to that stage early it is much better, but we don't know the future at the minute."

• On being fourth and a target for Premier League opponents: "I don't think any opponent so far thought it was easy to win against a Premier League team. If you are in this part of the table, the opponent starts to think they should be really aware and alert that it will be tough. So we will see."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Hear more from Le Bris talking to the BBC's Nick Barnes on BBC Sounds

This - it seems - is the season of the set piece.

The Premier League debates are more about dead balls than ever before, with some sides enjoying immense success from corner kicks, throw ins or well-worked free-kicks.

What fine timing then for BBC Sport to launch a column with former manager Tony Pulis, a man who seemed to finely extract the fine margins from the game.

You can take in Tony's column on set pieces here

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

My first game this season was at newcomers Sunderland against West Ham. On that balmy August day I wrote: "West Ham looked as lumpen and leggy as the opposition look sprightly and energetic... it felt like two different generations playing against each other."

The Hammers have changed managers but not much else. Sunderland continue to look sprightly but have improved on that selfless, fearless enthusiasm they used to blast West Ham away.

The 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge at the weekend was a surprise but not a shock.

‌Chelsea's far more expensively acquired youthful outfit will have a few of these slip-ups, especially when key players are injured and their naivety can be exposed.

‌Currently sitting in fourth, Sunderland fans are wondering if they can keep it going for a top-four finish.

‌The brutal reality is that they have 17 points and the club think only of getting to 34 points and relative safety. They are halfway there with only a quarter of the games played, so it is looking good.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Image source, Getty Images

Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle, former Sunderland forward Marco Gabbiadini says striker Wilson Isidor, who has scored four goals in nine games this season, has "upped his game" at Sunderland:

"He's got great strength and pace over distance, which sometimes is difficult to do. He actually keeps a gallop up and keeps control of the ball and we've seen him score so many of these breakaway goals.

"There were times last season when Isidor was moved out wide to accommodate Eliezer Mayenda through the middle, but he is taking his chances when he's been selected.

"He's really upped his game, last season he was a slow starter, it took him a while to get into the rhythm of the club, but he soon became a bit of a favourite and he's scored some spectacular goals.

"He really has a good connection with the crowd, because he looks like he enjoys playing. You can tell that he's really having the time of his life."

Listen to more Sunderland content from BBC Radio Newcastle here

Adam Lanigan
BBC Sport, North East & Cumbria

Image source, Getty Images

One man who had been keeping an eye on Regis Le Bris during his time at Lorient was Sunderland's French owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.

The Black Cats had put together a talented but youthful squad and they needed a guiding hand.

Although there was no experience in English football and only two years as a number one, Le Bris was almost the perfect candidate to take this project on.

"Regis Le Bris is a pure coach," said French football expert Julien Laurens.

"All he cares about is the training pitch, doing his sessions, transmitting his ideas across and the game itself. What surrounds that is not really for him.

"Le Bris used to be one of the best academy directors and youth-level coaches in France. What he loves the most is coaching young players. He is so good at explaining to them how to get better.

"I had no doubt that moving to Sunderland could work for him."

Growing up in Brittany, Le Bris was proud of his roots and the strong Breton cultural identity of the area.

So when deciding to leave, moving to the north-east of England may seem miles apart, but the 49-year-old has forged a strong attachment to Wearside.

"He used to be in a club in Lorient that had so much identity," said Laurens.

"Sunderland was perfect for him. He could only have gone to a club with such a strong sense of identity and community like Sunderland has because that's what he was used to.

"He's a very proud Breton and he knows how much this means to people in Sunderland and in the region overall."

Now Le Bris is the first French manager in the Premier League since Patrick Vieira left Crystal Palace in March 2023.

Only four newly promoted managers in Premier League history have won more points than Le Bris after nine games - Kenny Dalglish, Bryan Robson, Phil Brown and Frank Clark.

"I'm hugely impressed," ex-England midfielder Michael Carrick said of the Frenchman on Match of the Day.

"There are so many positives to look at. They had four players from the team last season [in the squad against Chelsea] so it's a big change and from a coaching perspective, to implement that so quickly and to accumulate the points they have is an unbelievable achievement."

Read more about Le Bris and Sunderland here

Adam Lanigan
BBC Sport, North East & Cumbria

Image source, Getty Images

It is fair to say that when Sunderland announced the appointment of Regis Le Bris in June 2024, underwhelmed was the overriding emotion.

It had taken three months to find a permanent replacement for Michael Beale and the club had come up with a man who had just been relegated from Ligue 1 in France with Lorient.

But with the Black Cats ending an eight-year exile from the top flight by beating Sheffield United in the play-off final, that has turned to immense pride among the club's support.

"The fans love him," said BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes.

"The results are the first things that win them over, so he has achieved that.

"But they also see that he is a genuinely nice guy with a nice demeanour about him. In public and in press conferences, he smiles, he can crack a joke, he's very patient and I think people have responded to that."

With a doctorate in sport physiology and biomechanics to his name, Le Bris is not your typical manager. His popularity on Wearside meant that a trip to the seafront at Roker early on in his tenure caught him by surprise when he was mobbed by fans.

Learning his lesson, this calm and considered character has since sneaked in to Newcastle on occasion to enjoy an evening out.

However, it is at the Academy of Light where this student of football is in his element.

"Regis is a bit shy, but he's very personable and he has a wry sense of humour and he's become a bit more comfortable in his own skin," said Barnes.

"He is very, very focused. He seems to spend his life immersed in the job. He jokingly refers to being at his happiest in front of his laptop, watching matches.

"He purposely learned English to come to this country to make a name for himself and you could argue he has done that."

Le Bris had a modest playing career, during which time he featured in Ligue 1 for Rennes, but this proud son of Brittany found his true calling when he turned his hand to coaching at the age of 27 with Wasquehal.

He quickly obtained his badges and was soon returning to his old club to take on a youth coaching role.

He had success there winning the French equivalent of the Youth Cup and the U18 Championship before taking on a similar job at Lorient.

Again, he was heavily involved in the youth programme, being successful with the under-17s and then becoming reserve team manager.

But behind his involvement in youth football was a burning desire to improve himself and take on a top job.

"Regis has always been very ambitious," said Mathieu Pelicart, Lorient correspondent for regional newspaper Le Telegramme.

"While preparing to make the step up to be a number one, he had already done a few trips abroad to clubs in Germany and Spain and he had never hidden his desire to learn more about other leagues."

His wish was granted as he took over Lorient in 2022, and after eight wins in his first 10 games the club reached second in the table.

They eventually finished 10th, but still enjoyed wins against Lyon, Lille and most notably at Paris St-Germain - a side containing Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

However, things went awry in his second season which ultimately ended with relegation on the final day. He left the club by mutual consent on 22 June 2024.

Read more about Le Bris and Sunderland here

Image source, Getty Images

The team on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club have been debating whether the sides promoted to the Premier League can survive, given their starts to the campaign.

The Observer's Rory Smith: "It won't be the case that the three newly promoted sides will go down with a whimper. They have learnt the lesson of Forest and Villa. The way the Premier League works now is you come up, you spend all that money, and you hope you can survive. As things stand, I would say it's unlikely all three go down and it might not be any of them.

"The average team in the Premier League is better than it has ever been - just as it was last season.

"You go through the league - Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford - they can all beat absolutely everyone. You are seeing this levelling out in the Premier League and it is to Arsenal's enormous credit that they seem to be hovering above it."

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton: "Sunderland have been top drawer in the way they play. They carry a threat when they go forward. Looking back at the game against Chelsea, they had opportunities, they defended well and they threw bodies forward.

"I know it is early days, but you don't feel the wheels are going to come off. Their recruitment has been sensational and the way Regis Le Bris has got the team performing and functioning, and as competitive as they are, it is a testament to him. They have arguably got their star player [Habib] Diarra out injured.

"We always say with the promoted clubs that the start is really important and then they can get a foothold and gain confidence and feel they can be a match for anybody."

Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend: "Even if the wheels come off, they're [Sunderland] still doing a much better job than the last couple of promoted sides have done.

"In terms of Sunderland and Leeds, they have hostile atmospheres, amazing pitches. It gives them a massive boost. Nobody wants to go and play Leeds. Leeds away, no matter what division, is not a great place to go and win a football match. It's definitely helping them."

Sunderland are plotting another loan move for Marc Guiu in January after Chelsea recalled the 19-year-old Spanish striker just two games into a season-long deal agreed last summer. (Football Transfers), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Gavin Henderson
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

All season long, despite our fantastic start to the Premier League campaign, we have heard that Sunderland have been good - but they have not really played anyone yet.

Which, of course, was a load of rubbish.

I suppose you could say we had not yet really been up against the established elite, so when a trip away to Chelsea was on the cards we had the perfect opportunity to shut any doubters up.

Thankfully, we did just that with what was an unbelievably controlled and measured performance.

This was no smash and grab. Sunderland more than deserved the victory and once again showed that immense "Til The End" spirit that has run right through this team since Regis Le Bris took charge at the club.

Having gone behind very early, we scored twice and broke the hearts of the Chelsea supporters when Chemsdine Talbi buried his chance in stoppage time.

Wilson Isidor, our top scorer from last season, got his fourth Premier League goal of the campaign to keep proving why he is the man who should be leading the line in red and white each week.

Teams we are about to face in the coming weeks will not be looking forward to playing us, I am sure of it.

We are not your typical Premier League side and, to be blunt, we are horrible to play against.

We will work harder than you; we will outfight and out-battle you.

You have got to be prepared to go to war with us in the trenches if you want to defeat us, and we will be direct and make you as uncomfortable as possible if it means we are going to take points from you.

Bring it on, I say. I am enjoying how much Sunderland seem to be upsetting the established elite and are defying the odds.

Let's keep on showing why we are different, and why it is unfair to compare us to other promoted sides from previous seasons who did not show an ounce of the ambition that we have.

PS: Does this mean we are now world champions?

Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external

On Monday, we took a look into Sunderland's joint-best start to a Premier League season and what this could mean for the rest of the campaign.

We asked you for your predictions on how far up (or down) the table Regis Le Bris' side might end up, having already broken into the top four.

The results as of 16:30 GMT showed there is plenty of optimism among supporters, with nearly half (45%) eyeing a top-half finish.

The second most popular prediction was a safe 11th-16th position, while just 6% felt the Black Cats would end up anywhere lower than this.

Despite the positive start, not too many fans see a dream campaign that leads to a European adventure or even a Premier League title, but having been one of the favourites for relegation, securing another season in the top flight would be reward enough for most supporters.

You can add your choice here

On the latest episode of BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, the panel discusses Sunderland's fantastic start to the Premier League season.

Former Premier League winger Andros Townsend says Regis Le Bris' side are getting the balance right tactically, adding that they are "looking to press high but are also happy to sit back and be compact".

Sunderland fan Frankie Francis spoke about the excitement among supporters, and told the story of how the club's owner managed to persuade Granit Xhaka to move to the Stadium of Light following their promotion from the Championship.

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer and listen on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini spoke to BBC Radio Newcastle about Granit Xhaka's development as the club's captain: "He exemplifies a top professional.

"When he was an Arsenal player at times you felt like he was a bit of a villain. Over the years we have seen him mature and develop.

"We've seen a slightly more restrained version of Xhaka, but it's actually better than the fully committed, blowing steam out of his ears sort of player that we saw at Arsenal.

"He's a little bit more measured, calmer and a better professional. To have that in your squad especially when you've got a young squad, and everyone believes in him, he's a talisman.

"We need to wrap him in cotton wool and keep him going for 38 games."

Tyrese King
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland have been the Premier League's surprise package this season, with not many fans expecting them to be in a Champions League spot, let alone second place, behind league leaders Arsenal and above last season's winners Liverpool by the end of October.

The Black Cats spent £161m on 15 new players - a record level of spending for a promoted side.

But ex-Gunners captain Granit Xhaka and his midfield partner Noah Sadiki, a pair bought this summer for a combined £28m, have been pivotal to the early-season form.

"I'm just fascinated by his drive", said journalist Nick Barnes on BBC Radio Newcastle in September, speaking about Granit Xhaka.

"Even from the very start, his messages have always been 'we're here to create history and make a name for ourselves' and there's a lot of psychology that goes into his approach.

"I think with the age he is and still playing at this level, he's is very driven."

Sunderland manager Regis le Bris told Hayters TV after their 2-1 victory over Chelsea: "Granit is the captain who sets the standards everyday.

"On the pitch he is a very good footballer, he enjoys driving the squad. He's like a second coach on the pitch."

Xhaka put in a dominant display against two of the most expensive players central midfielders in the league - Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.

The Swiss stitched together passing patterns against the Blues, and provided steel in the middle of the park with well-timed tackles.

Xhaka ranks first for assists (three), chances created (11), successful passes (397), passes into the box (49), touches (629), duels won (56) and possession won (43).

Sadiki, 20, has not missed a single one of Sunderland's Premier League games this season, starting them all. He also has a 86% passing accuracy of 304 attempts.

However it is the pairs' running power where they impress the most.

In the Premier League there is no one who has covered more distance than them - as the table above shows - underlining how essential the north-east's dynamic duo are in the engine room.

As a team, Sunderland have averaged 42.5% possession in their nine matches this season - only Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham have a lower average.

But, despite spending so much time without the ball, only Arsenal and Manchester City have conceded fewer goals than Sunderland. Their 53.3% duel success is the second best in the division behind Manchester City.

At this stage, it seems some midfield legs, a touch of Xhaka class and a willingness to battle is proving the perfect recipe for success in the top tier.

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist

Undoubtedly, Sunderland - who won 2-1 at Chelsea on Saturday - have been the biggest surprise of the Premier League so far this season.

Minutes away from a Championship play-off final defeat in May, they will end October fourth in the top flight.

With 17 points from nine matches, the Black Cats have equalled their best Premier League start, matching their tally from 1999-2000.

Only five newly promoted sides have earned more points than Sunderland in the same number of matches. All five, including Sunderland themselves in 2000, managed to survive relegation.

"It's an unbelievable start and one that's been well earned," former Watford captain Troy Deeney told Final Score.

"If you said that a couple of months ago, Sunderland fans would tell you, you're crazy."

Ex-Manchester United and England midfielder Michael Carrick added on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Anyone who is honest enough will say that they never expected Sunderland to start this well, so full credit to them.

"The amount of points they have accumulated already has given them an unbelievable start and that's something they will want to build on."

Where do you think the Black Cats can finish this campaign? A dream run to European places or could relegation still be on the cards?

Make your choice here

Image source, Opta

It may only be October, but is it already a one-horse Premier League title race?

Arsenal's impressive start to the season - along with their regular Premier League title rivals stumbling - has left Mikel Arteta's side with a 67.34% chance of winning the trophy this season, according to the latest predictions from Opta's Supercomputer.

The Gunners, who have scored the second-most goals and conceded the fewest, have looked in imperious form as they bid to win a first Premier League title since 2004.

Manchester City are their nearest predicted challenger at 12.43%, despite sitting fifth in the table and six points off Arsenal at the top.

Following their 3-2 defeat by Brentford on Saturday - their fourth successive loss in the league - reigning champions Liverpool, who currently sit seventh, have been given the third-best chance of keeping hold of their crown at 11.04%.

They may be second in the table, but the Gunners' nearest challengers Bournemouth have still only been given a 1.47% chance of lifting the Premier League trophy.

A top-four finish and guaranteed Champions League football, however, is rated as a 22.67% chance for the Cherries.

They may be their closest rivals geographically and be third in the league, but Opta does not have Tottenham running Arteta's side all that close for the top-flight crown, with just an eighth-best 1.43% chance.

And what of surprise candidates Sunderland?

They are fourth in the table following their 93rd-minute winner against Chelsea on Saturday, but thoughts of a dream run to the title for fans should be tempered according to the supercomputer.

The promoted side have been given a 0% chance of lifting the trophy and also just a 0.91% chance of staying in the top four. However, the Black Cats' chance of relegation now stand at less than 10% (9.52%).

Image source, Opta