5-4-1 MASTERCLASS: RéGIS LE BRIS EXPLAINS SUNDERLAND'S ANFIELD STRATEGY
Sunderland boss Régis Le Bris praises his team's bolder attack and consistency after securing a crucial 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Anfield.
Régis Le Bris mentioned his Sunderland team felt good about their performance at Anfield after grabbing another important point in their attempt to stay in the Premier League.
The Black Cats almost got another big win when Chemsdine Talbi’s shot found the net in the second half, but Florian Wirtz scored for Liverpool, ending the game in a tie. Sunderland nearly took all three points when Wilson Isidor had a chance, but the Black Cats had to withstand pressure from Liverpool to get the point.
Le Bris said he was happy with both the performance and the result, adding that the players listened to his halftime advice to be bolder in their attacks.
“Yeah, it's positive right now,” Le Bris said about how he felt after the game.
“We could have scored a second goal, but it's still a good result for both teams. We began well, and the first half was good both when we had the ball and when we didn't. Maybe we didn't think we could score, but we did at the beginning of the second half. I think we even surprised ourselves a bit by having the time and space to play, and maybe they didn't expect us to be that good. We talked about being more dangerous and how we could cause problems for their defence. We also knew Salah would come on and change things, so we were ready.”
Even though Sunderland nearly won with Isidor's chance, Le Bris said the team was in good spirits after the match.
“Maybe they're a little bummed because they could have scored a second goal, but overall, they were proud of how they played because the game had many parts,” Le Bris said.
“We showed we could control the ball and defend with a 4-4-2 formation. Then we defended hard with five at the back, in a deep block. So, there were different situations, different parts of the game, and different feelings, but in the end, we played consistently.”
Régis Le Bris explains his Sunderland team selection at Liverpool.
Le Bris chose to play with five defenders at Anfield, but it looked a bit different with Trai Hume playing on the right wing and Enzo Le Fee playing almost as a second striker when they had the ball. This gives the Black Cats another option on how to play going forward.
“We had a few ideas,” Le Bris said.
“The main idea was to have width and keep three midfielders to start the game with Enzo, Granit, and Noah—to protect our right side because we knew they would attack from that side. With Trai on the right, we could keep the width and defend that side better in a 4-4-2 formation and fall back into a 5-4-1 naturally. Trai is very flexible and works well with Nordi. So, it was a mix of our 4-4-2 and our 5-4-1.”
Sunderland drew 1-1 with Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday night.
ALAN SHEARER NAMES MAN CITY CLEAR FAVORITES FOR THE 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE CROWN
Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1. Alan Shearer discusses why the title race is now firmly in City’s hands.
Alan Shearer came away really impressed by how Arsenal played against Manchester City, but he thinks their earlier slip-up against Bournemouth could end up being what costs them the Premier League title.
City closed the gap to just three points behind Arsenal with a 2-1 win in Sunday’s big clash, with Erling Haaland bagging the winner at the Etihad. Kai Havertz managed to pull Arsenal back into the game after a disastrous mistake by Gianluigi Donnarumma, and that was right after Rayan Cherki had given City the lead with a bit of magic.
Havertz had a golden chance to equalise late on after Eberechi Eze hit the post, but he couldn’t finish it. You could see the frustration on the faces of the Arsenal players; they’ll be kicking themselves for missing those chances in the days ahead.
The win puts City in a great position. They have a game in hand, and if they beat struggling Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday, they’ll go top of the table. Arsenal, meanwhile, are back at home on Saturday against Newcastle, and with just one win in their last six games, it’s hard to see that as anything other than a must-win for them.
Shearer didn’t hold back when he talked about Arsenal’s performance. On The Rest Is Football podcast, he said, “Where was this last weekend against Bournemouth?" Where was this fight, this urgency? Because honestly, I think that’s the game that’ll haunt them, not today. They were flat against Bournemouth. Against City, though, they looked sharp. You can’t really complain about how they played this time; they took the game to City, created loads, and really gave it a go. It was a brilliant match.”
Shearer still thinks City are now the clear favourites for the title, but he fully expects more drama before it’s all over. “Arsenal had their moments. They missed some huge chances, Havertz’s header at the end, that one-on-one, but you have to back City now. Look at the past month or so: the teams they’ve beaten, the way they’ve played. But I still don’t believe both City and Arsenal will win all their remaining games. There’s bound to be another twist.”
On a lighter note, Shearer joked that at least Arsenal won’t have it too tough next weekend, coming up against a Newcastle side stuck in a four-game losing streak. “Look, if only football were that simple, everyone just winning every match, it’d be boring. I’ve been in those title races myself; I know how tense it gets. It never goes perfectly for anyone. The one positive for Arsenal is that they’ve got Newcastle next, and they’re in terrible form. That’s something to hold onto.”
When asked if City should be considered the outright favourites now, Shearer didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, definitely. They’ve got a game in hand; they’re on a roll; they’ve got the momentum. They’re favourites now, no doubt about it.”
ROBERTO DE ZERBI ISSUES BOLD CLAIM, BACKING WINLESS SPURS TO WIN REMAINING FIVE GAMES
Tottenham suffer late 2-2 draw against Brighton. Read why Roberto De Zerbi believes they can still avoid relegation.
Tottenham let three crucial points slip away on Saturday, conceding a late equaliser to Brighton. Spurs looked set for a win after Xavi Simons put them 2-1 up in the 77th minute, but a Kevin Danso error handed Georginio Rutter the chance to score five minutes into stoppage time.
That goal stung. Spurs could’ve moved out of the relegation zone, at least for a day or two, since Nottingham Forest and West Ham weren’t playing until later in the weekend.
The draw also means Robert De Zerbi is still waiting for his first win as Spurs boss, though at least he’s finally earned his first point. Right now, Tottenham sits just one point from safety, but if results go the wrong way, they could be four points adrift by the end of the gameweek.
If Spurs want to survive, they have to start winning. Next up is a must-win against the bottom club Wolves. Nothing less will do, especially with tough games against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea, and Everton closing out the season.
De Zerbi Clearly Rates Simons
Big performances from key players are Spurs’ only way out, and Xavi Simons is right at the heart of that. De Zerbi was impressed with what he saw from the Dutch midfielder against Brighton.
“He played very well. "A great game", De Zerbi told football.london. “I think he can get even better, because a player like this needs to feel confidence from the manager. I’m here to give him all the confidence he needs.
“When I played, I was a number 10 myself, so I understand what he’s thinking. I think I’m lucky to have him, but he’s lucky too, because as a former number 10, I might understand him better than most coaches.”
Simons has six goals and seven assists this season. If he keeps those numbers climbing in the last few matches, Spurs have a real shot at staying up, especially since Kulusevski and Kudus are still out. The good news? James Maddison is fit again after a bad knee injury in preseason, and he’s set to return in the next week or so.
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