It’s taken Regis Le Bris just over three months to transform Sunderland from Championship strugglers to bona fide promotion contenders. Last term, under Michael Beale and Mike Dodds, the Black Cats finished 16th in England’s second division, just six points above the relegation zone. This season, however, after nine games played, they are top of the table, having won six and drawn one.
Le Bris’ side looked to be facing defeat against Leeds last week after Joel Piroe and Junior Firpo had canceled out Chris Rigg’s opener however, a stoppage-time error from Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier gifted Sunderland a point.
“The mindset of the team was good because right until the end we believed that it was possible and then it happened with a mistake,” Le Bris, who was appointed as Sunderland boss in July, said after the draw. “I think we deserved this draw.”
Tommy Watson loving life under Le Bris
One player who is particularly enjoying life at The Stadium of Light right now is youngster Tommy Watson. The 21-year-old winger, who came through Sunderland’s academy, has been a regular feature in Le Bris’ matchday squads this season, despite not having too many minutes to strut his stuff in front of fans.
He made his first-team debut in a 2-1 defeat to Watford in late September, coming on as a late substitute, and has since made two further cameos against Derby and Leeds. Speaking with Sunderland’s official website, Watson spoke of his delight at finally being given a chance to shine on the big stage.
Talking about making the transition to the first-team under his new manager, Watson said: “It’s a bit of a jump up. The games in the Championship are more organised and teams are set up better and harder to break down so you get fewer chances.
“It’s class to be honest. I’ve been waiting a long time for the opportunity. I’ve been on the fringes for quite some time, but the idea of working towards more first-team minutes is a real target.”
Poveda injury update dampens Sunderland mood
Life might be looking up for Watson at the moment, but for Ian Poveda, things aren’t so great. The Colombia international, who joined Sunderland in the summer from Leeds United, has seen his start to life on Wearside hampered by injuries, limiting him to just 44 minutes of Championship action so far this season.
Speaking with the media ahead of last week’s draw with Leeds, Le Bris revealed that he will now have to make do without Poveda for a further “four to six weeks” after the 24-year-old suffered yet another injury setback.
“It’s a shame,” Le Bris said. “But the Championship is long, we still have 38 games to play. Ian is going to be helpful for the team, but he is going to need time to recover.”
