Sunderland endured a 0-0 stalemate at Carrow Road on Tuesday evening as club legend Gary Bennett singled out one Black Cats star for praise.
Sunderland saw out a 0-0 at Norwich on Tuesday evening in which Regis Le Bris’ side stretched their unbeaten run to three games.
More importantly, the Black Cats booked their place in the play-offs after avoiding defeat at Carrow Road.
Le Bris rang the changes from Saturday afternoon’s starting XI by handing starts to; Eliezer Mayenda, Milan Aleksic, Tommy Watson and Leo Hjelde, who came in for Jobe Bellingham, Patrick Roberts, Romaine Mundle and Wilson Isidor.
Sunderland failed to assert their dominance throughout the turgid display and had no quality or dynamism on the ball to carve the Canaries open.
After 68 minutes of dire football, Le Bris attempted to inject some life into the Sunderland performance, with the introduction of three attacking substitutes and club legend Gary Bennett singled out one of those cameo performances for praise.
Gary Bennett hails Enzo Le Fee performance after Norwich 0-0 Sunderland
Roma loanee Enzo Le Fee was introduced for Tommy Watson with just over 20 minutes to play, as Le Bris attempted to revitalise his side’s dwindling display.
Watson himself failed to take his chance in the wake of Romaine Mundle’s injury and also failed to show why Brighton have shelled out £10m for his services.
Le Fee however, was the singular bright creative spark in Sunderland’s performance, after almost releasing Isidor in behind the Canaries backline with an audacious lofted pass.
Although Le Fee was a second-half substitute, he eclipsed Watson’s efforts with ease. The Frenchman looks back to his sharpest following his injury setback, and he enjoyed an 89% pass accuracy, made six passes into the final third and won three out of five ground duels in the process.
Following his stardusted substitute showing, club legend Bennett hailed Le Fee’s “quality” outing. He told BBC sport: “If you said, would you’ve taken a point before a ball was kicked, you would’ve said yes, especially with the changes we made.
“OK, it wasn’t the best 45 minutes for Sunderland but when we did make them changes you did see the quality which we’ve got,
“Le Fee is a smashing player, and he tried to pick out Wilson Isidor with a great pass and all of a sudden we came to life.”
Regis Le Bris must be careful with Enzo Le Fee
Sunderland fans have been desperate to see the dynamic Frenchman return to action and sung Le Fee’s name in joy after his West Brom display on Saturday.
It is clear to see why after his Canaries cameo, with the Black Cats instantly more of an exciting spectacle with the midfield maestro on the field.
| Key statistic | Enzo Le Fee vs Norwich |
| Minutes played | 21′ |
| Accurate passes | 24/27 |
| Touches | 33 |
| Passes into final third | 6 |
With Sunderland’s play-off place now a mathematically certainty, it offers Le Bris the opportunity to bed Le Fee back in carefully, rather than rushing him back too soon and risk curtailing the Roma loanee’s Sunderland stint prematurely.
If the Black Cats earn Premier League promotion, Le Fee permanently becomes a Sunderland player, and the odds of a return to English football’s promised land are dramatically shifted in their favour thanks to the inventive midfielder’s return.