Sunderland

Ex-Sunderland boss Peter Reid says the Black Cats "belong" in the Premier League as they prepare for their Championship play-off semi-final against another of his former clubs, Coventry City.

Reid was in charge at the Stadium of Light between 1995-2002, twice leading the club to promotion from the second tier during that time.

And although he also spent a brief spell with the Sky Blues, Reid is firmly behind Regis Le Bris' side.

"I had a great time there [at Sunderland], the people are magnificent - it's just, let's be honest, a great football club," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"Hopefully they get back to where I think they belong. Obviously 40-odd-thousand will be there on Tuesday [for the second leg at the Stadium of Light] and in the Premier League, that's my wish."

The 68-year-old, however, did express worry about Sunderland's chances considering both clubs' contrasting form going into the double-header.

The Black Cats have limped into the play-offs on a run of five successive defeats while Coventry won 13 of their final 20 games to storm up the table and finish fifth.

Reid added: "I'm a wee bit concerned about Coventry's form. Obviously Frank Lampard has done extremely well, hasn't he?

"Sunderland have had injuries and haven't had great results. Whether you can turn that around, I don't know but I'm a bit nervous going into the first leg.

"I'll be at the Stadium of Light for the second leg. You've just got to be in the tie. Just get a draw at Coventry and that'll do me."

You can listen to more from Peter Reid on BBC Sounds.

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Sunderland has some bitter history with their play-off rivals Coventry City.

Cast your mind back to 1977, when there were three teams in danger of relegation from the old First Division: Sunderland, Coventry and Bristol City.

Sunderland lost to Everton and were awaiting the result of Coventry v Bristol City, which had been delayed due to traffic issues around the Sky Blues' then home ground, Highfield Road.

As the Black Cats had been defeated, a draw would be enough to keep both the Sky Blues and the Robins up, while a loss would send either team down.

With five minutes left in the game, Sunderland's result was broadcast from the tannoy system at Highfield Road and with the score at 2-2, the game petered out with neither side particularly incentivised to go on and win the game.

Sunderland were relegated and left questioning the fairness of the decisions made by then-Coventry managing director Jimmy Hill, stirring up bad blood between the two sides.

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini says the Black Cats' second-leg of their play-off tie against Coventry City will be the "biggest night" of boss Regis Le Bris' career.

Prior to heading to the north east of England, Le Bris' only other first-team management experience was two years with French side Lorient, guiding them to 10th in Ligue One during his first season but suffering relegation in his second.

"How could he not be excited? He's going to play in front of two full crowds," Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"Coventry have got good support, we are going to have an amazing atmosphere at the Stadium of Light. It's just what you do the job for.

"Tuesday night at home, it's probably one of the biggest nights of his career."

However, BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes says that Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard will be leaning on his own big-game experiences - something Le Bris has less of.

As a player, Lampard made 106 appearances for England and won three Premier League titles with Chelsea, while as a head coach he took Derby County to the Championship play-offs in 2019 and has managed in the Champions League.

"Frank Lampard's a former England international and he's been in this situation how many times with England, with Chelsea, with whoever," Barnes said.

"Regis Le Bris has never been in this situation before as a manager and there's a psychology going on there in the dressing rooms.

"Frank Lampard will use that experience, without question."

Listen to the full episode and more on the Total Sport podcast.

Coventry City host Sunderland for the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final on Friday (20:00 BST).

They finished fifth and fourth respectively but while Sunderland may have been seven points clear of Coventry, it's the Sky Blues who will going in with the better form.

The West Midlands side secured their place with a 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough, and beat the Black Cats 3-0 when the sides met at the CBS Arena in March.

Sunderland have lost their last five games, failing to score in the past three, with only one goal in a winless run of six games overall heading into the play-offs - a run the stats suggest may well be extended.

• Coventry City are unbeaten across their last 10 league games against Sunderland (W5 D5), since a 2-0 defeat in February 2007.

• Sunderland are winless across each of their last 13 away games against Coventry City in all competitions (D5 L8), since a 1-0 victory at Highfield Road in the top-flight in April 1985, while they've failed to score in three of their last four visits.

• Coventry have won seven of their last eight home league games (L1), including a 3-0 win over Sunderland. Since Frank Lampard's first game in charge of the club in late November, only Leeds United and Bristol City (both 36) have picked up more points at home in the Championship than the Sky Blues (35).

• Sunderland have lost each of their last five Championship games in succession, while scoring just one goal across their last six league games. Indeed, it's their longest losing streak in the league since March 2024 (6 games).

• Coventry have previously featured in the EFL play-offs twice, in 2017-18 in League Two and 2022-23 in the Championship. Across their six matches in total, the Sky Blues remain unbeaten (W3 D3), failing to earn promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-23 Championship play-off final on penalties against Luton Town.

• This will be the ninth time that Sunderland have ended the season in the EFL play-offs, doing so in four of their last five league campaigns. Across their prior eight semi-final ties, the Black Cats have won just one of their eight away legs (D2 L5), a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United in 1989-90.

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says there has been a delay in Romaine Mundle's expected return to be available for selection in their promotion push.

The Black Cats face Coventry in the Championship play-off semi-final this week and after divisive squad rotation in the final games of the regular season there were expectations of a fully fit roster for the Frenchman to choose from.

When asked if everyone was back in contention for the first leg at the CBS Arena fixture on Friday, Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle: "Not really because I think it will be a bit short for Romaine and Aji [Alese] to be involved in the first leg."

The boss then confirmed he would be looking to involve Mundle in the home leg at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday.

Image source, Rex Features

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has called the play-offs "another chapter to open" for his side following their final-day 1-0 loss to Queens Park Rangers.

R's midfielder Nicolas Madsen scored the only goal of the game to hand the Black Cats their fifth straight defeat.

In those five games, Sunderland have only netted one goal but will need to get back to scoring ways over two legs against Coventry City.

"A coach is always on the edge about what could be wrong," Frenchman Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle when asked about his side's lack of goals.

"It's easy to understand that we have some problems in the team especially in these scenarios when we face a deep block.

"It's the end of the chapter. We didn't play with our life here and we'll play with our lives now.

"The context will be completely different. I still believe that we have a good squad that's able to react, to find powerful resources to be competitive in these games.

"It's another chapter to open. Now we know our opponent, so we'll just move forward and keep going."

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says his "players are connected and ready to go" after training in Portugal this week.

The Black Cats flew to their warm weather training camp after four consecutive defeats but having already qualified for the Championship play-offs.

Nothing is on the line for Saturday's final game of the regular season against Queens Park Rangers but fans will be expecting a better performance and result before the semi-final first leg next Friday.

The head coach told BBC Radio Newcastle's Nick Barnes that it was a "really good training camp".

The Frenchman confirmed that the team were caught up in Portugal's power cuts while out there but added that "it didn't disturb the process".

Le Bris also said that Romaine Mundle and Niall Huggins participated in the training camp. He said Mundle would not feature against QPR but will be back with the team from Sunday so the winger could play a part in the play-offs.

You can listen to more from Regis Le Bris on BBC Sounds.

Sunderland will aim to end their winless run against Queen's Park Rangers on Saturday (12:30 BST) before embarking on their play-off campaign.

The Black Cats have not won any of their past five league games, losing the most recent four.

It's a concerning run for a side who once led the league at the beginning of the season and now, having spent most it in fourth place, enter the knock-out rounds out of form.

They will hope to find some to carry forward when they host QPR, who will be without boss Marti Cifuentes.

• Sunderland are unbeaten across their last five league games against QPR (W2 D3), scoring exactly three goals in each of those victories.

• QPR have won just one of their last 10 away league games against Sunderland (D6 L3), a 2-0 victory in February 2015, though the Londoners are unbeaten across their last five visits to the Stadium of Light (W1 D4).

• Sunderland have won just one of their last seven final games of a league season when its come on home soil (D1 L5), a 3-0 victory over Wolves in 2018.

• QPR lost just one of their last six games on the final day of a league campaign (W4 D1), winning their last 2-1 vs Coventry City in 2023-24.

• Sunderland have won 21 of their 45 games in the Championship this season (D13 L11), their most victories in a second tier campaign since 2006-07 (27).

Sunderland have fallen short with recent results but will be ready for the play-offs, says midfielder Enzo Le Fee.

Following a run of four successive defeats, the Frenchman has issued a rallying call ahead of their final game of the regular Championship season at home to QPR on Saturday (12:30 BST).

"Our standards are extremely high, and over the past few weeks, we haven't quite hit those levels either individually or as a team," said Le Fee., external

"We know we've fallen short recently, but we'll fight for every ball, we'll battle, and we'll be fully prepared for the two huge play-off games that lie ahead."

The Black Cats have been out on their own in fourth position for a number of weeks, securing a play-off spot with a goalless draw at Norwich on 8 April and former Sunderland forward Marco Gabbiadini agrees with Le Fee.

"It's been a tricky few weeks - it's a decent message and I'm sure most of the players are thinking that way," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"You have to come together at the right times which they have done for the majority of the games this season and it can definitely happen again but there has to be improvement on what we've seen in recent weeks."

Football finance writer Chris Weatherspoon has praised Sunderland's youth-focused business model while warning against the losses that come with staying in the Championship too long.

"When we talk about PSR and stuff like that, it's kind of not really an issue for Sunderland," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"It's not something they have to concern themselves with and that's even the case when in the Championship you're allowed to lose less money than if you're in the Premier League.

"Sunderland don't have any issues there because although they're loss making like just about every Championship club is, they're not loss making to the extent that's posing a problem."

In February 2021, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus bought a controlling interest in the Black Cats and became the club's chairman. Along with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman who arrived in Wearside in 2020, the young owner set about a focus on signing young players to develop and sell on for a profit.

Weatherspoon added: "It would be very hard to criticise them in terms of the way they've embarked upon signing young players for pretty small fees I think.

"They're very coy around disclosing this but I think the most they've spent on someone is about £3-£3.5m tops and they've got several players in the squad right now that are worth probably quite a lot more than that."

In the last summer transfer window, Sunderland sold Jack Clarke for an initial £15m, making a significant profit on the winger.

Similarly, it has already been announced Brighton have signed Tommy Watson who came through the Academy of Light for £10m.

The accountant-turned-football-writer warns however that despite their shrewd business, failure to get promoted to the Premier League comes at a financial cost.

"I guess the problem for Sunderland really is that, as it is for any club in the Championship, the longer you're there, the longer you continue to lose money," he said.

"Preston North End might go down this weekend and they've spent the last nine years they've finished consistently between 7th and 14th or 15th.

"They've neither really bothered the top end nor the bottom and they've lost over £100m in doing that. That's kind of like the cautionary tale and that's true of loads of Championship teams so I think that's the risk really."

Regis Le Bris' side have already secured their place in the play-offs but Weatherspoon expects the model will continue whether they're successful in returning to England's top flight.

"By the looks of it the business model at Sunderland is they sell one player per summer for a solid fee and I would expect that will probably happen," he added.

"I'd say that would certainly happen if they don't get promoted. It might happen even if they do."

Listen to more from Chris Weatherspoon on BBC Sounds.

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini has criticised "anonymous performances" in Sunderland's loss at Oxford United.

"We are huffing and puffing and not really getting anywhere at the moment. It's a very difficult watch," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"There was some moments. We probably deserved a goal from the sort of chances and half-chances we had in the first half."

Sunderland have long secured their place in the Championship play-offs while Gary Rowett's side sealed their safety from relegation with Saturday's result.

"It was a huge game for Oxford," Gabbiadini added.

"I think they did a job on us in that they were very physical. Every time a ball went to one of our players they got clipped or pushed or caught in the follow through or whatever but they did it in a clever way and we didn't find a way around that."

Regis Le Bris has rotated his team in recent weeks but named his strongest possible 11 against the U's and Gabbiadini was not impressed with two of Sunderland's star players and one of the bosses tactical decisions.

"There was some really anonymous performances. Roberts was just completely ineffectual," he added.

"Rigg struggled to really put his stamp on the game. In a game where they had a lot of possession and they needed a little bit of magic. I find it hard to criticise a lad of his age but this is the reality of where we are as a club at this moment.

"My biggest question would be, why on earth isn't Enzo Le Fee playing in the middle of the pitch? He was the only one really, for me, who had any sort of gumption about him against Oxford. It was a hard watch."

You can listen to more from Marco Gabbiadini on BBC Sounds.

Sunderland captain Dan Neil has revealed frustrations were aired in the dressing room after the Black Cats suffered a fourth successive defeat against Oxford United on Saturday.

Regis Le Bris has rotated his side in recent games since a spot in the Championship play-offs was confirmed but fielded his strongest possible starting 11 at the Kassam Stadium.

Neil told BBC Radio Newcastle: "Things were said in the dressing room which I think are good for the squad to be honest.

"We don't have long left til the play-offs to figure out what's happened in the last few weeks. So I think everyone laid it out on the line in the dressing room. I think that's a good thing for the squad."

Sunderland, whose last win came at West Brom on 5 April, host QPR on Saturday in their final game of the regular season before the first leg of the play-off semi-finals - away to whoever finishes fifth - on Friday 9 May, with the return leg on 13 May.

Neil said: "I'm not worried in the slightest for the next few weeks. We haven't become a bad team overnight. We haven't comfortably finished fourth and been disappointed with not giving the top two a run without all this hard work this year.

"We know we're a good team. We know on our day we can beat anybody in this league. I think you've seen in all the big games this year we've turned up and I have no doubt in this squad that we're going to turn up for the biggest game of not just the season but our careers so far.

"It's just about everyone sticking together, everybody associated with the club sticking together. We'll be ready for the play-offs."

There is a famous photo of the now 23-year-old midfielder as an eight-year-old in the stands supporting Sunderland, and he was asked about the away supporters' reaction to the team after the 2-0 defeat on Saturday.

"It was alright. Obviously there will be frustration. There will be people getting behind us. That's all kind of natural.

"We understand that the fans will be frustrated over the last few weeks but looking at the bigger picture, we have got the biggest game of the season coming up very soon and we need everybody to be behind each other.

"Like I said, they're going to be frustrated after the last few results and don't get me wrong, it was mentioned in the changing room about the fans and how they've travelled everywhere with us this year and supported us through it all.

"We need one last push from them and I've got no doubt that they're going to do that and we're going to do everything we possibly can in the build-up to the play-offs and when it comes round, try to get the best outcome."

You can listen to more from Dan Neil on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris shared his frustration after defeat to Oxford on Saturday.

The Black Cats know their hopes of winning promotion will rely on a successful play-off campaign as they have made certain of a fourth-placed finish.

Some fans may worry, though, as they have failed to win any of their past five games.

"The result, game and performance is disappointing." Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"We didn't match their energy and they [Oxford] play a style of football that is difficult to manage.

"They deserved their win, we are not happy about the dynamic of the team and the way we are playing right now.

"We have to find solutions on the pitch and we didn't manage to do it, I expected more."

Oxford United will be seeking safety from relegation against fourth placed Sunderland when they face each other on Saturday (15:00 BST).

The U's are currently three points above the relegation zone and could see themselves out of danger if they take victory against the Black Cats.

While facing a top team may seem like a daunting task for a team fighting for survival, their visitors have not been at their best as of late and are winless across their past four league games (D1 L3).

Having already secured their spot, Sunderland's eyes are firmly on the play-offs ahead and have been giving their top players a breather before their promotion hunt begins again in May - however with boss Regis Le Bris keen to gather momentum, perhaps Oxford won't fare so lucky.

• Oxford are winless in their last 13 league games against Sunderland (D6 L7) since a 3-2 away win in April 1994.

• Sunderland are unbeaten in their last eight away league games against Oxford (W5 D3), winning the last three in a row. Their last defeat away to this opposition came in December 1991 (0-3).

• Oxford have lost four of their last six home league games (W2), more than they had in their first 16 this season (W8 D5 L3).

• Having lost just three of their first 17 league games in 2025 (W9 D5), Sunderland have now lost each of their last three in a row.

• Only Sheffield Wednesday (24) and Bristol City (20) have gained more points from losing positions in the Championship than Sunderland this season (18), while only Norwich (30) and Preston (28) have dropped more points from winning positions than Oxford (26).