Sunderland continued their impressive run of form with a crucial win over local rivals Middlesbrough on Monday night, and Regis Le Bris’ half-time team talk may have been the deciding factor.
By securing the win at the Riverside Stadium, this Sunderland team made history as the first Black Cats’ side to win away at Middlesbrough in 20 years.
Goals from Dan Neil, Wilson Isidor, and an own goal forced by the imperious Enzo Le Fee were enough to grab a 3-2 victory in a thrilling encounter.
Regis Le Bris’ men have kept themselves in the promotion battle with the three points, and the Frenchman has been reflecting on how the win was achieved under difficult circumstances.
Regis Le Bris demanded passion from his Sunderland players
Speaking to ITV Sport after the game, the Sunderland manager admitted his team were second-best in the first half, citing a lack of confidence as the issue.
“It was a tough scenario for the coaches,” he said. “I think our first half wasn’t good enough to play in the derby, we weren’t at the right level. Middlesbrough were very good, they had a good half, and we struggled. We were impatient to recover the ball, with the ball we were sloppy, and played without confidence and character.”
Le Bris then revealed what he said to his players during the break and what he expected of them in the second half, and the message clearly worked.
“During half-time we said we have to be at the level of the derby and play with passion to win the game,” he added. “The second half was very good; I appreciated the way we played, and even at the end of the game we were comfortable. It was a very good win.”
Indeed, the comparison between the first half and the second (via SofaScore) reveals a vast difference in the flow of play. Sunderland gained six per cent possession after the interval, and completely flipped the xG of the game on its head (1.16 vs 0.43 in the first half, compared to 0.27 vs 1.65 in the second).
Win vs Middlesbrough was another signal of Sunderland progress
Once again, we have witnessed a massive performance from this Sunderland squad, full of grit and determination, and moments of real quality, too.
The Black Cats came from behind, were pegged back, and still kept fighting until the final moments to get the decisive goal. It was the kind of performance we expect from the top teams, and Sunderland are well and truly proving themselves to be just that.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LeedsLeeds | 30 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 60 | 19 | 41 | 63 |
| 2 |  Sheff UtdSheffield Utd | 30 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 41 | 21 | 20 | 61 |
| 3 |  BurnleyBurnley | 30 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 36 | 9 | 27 | 58 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 30 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 45 | 26 | 19 | 58 |
| 5 |  BlackburnBlackburn | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 34 | 29 | 5 | 45 |
| 6 |  West BromWest Brom | 30 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 39 | 27 | 12 | 44 |
In this enthralling Championship title race, many are still expecting and waiting for Sunderland to drop off, but it simply isn’t happening. Le Bris has got his team well-organised, full of spirit, and producing genuinely top-drawer displays with players excelling on all fronts.
Sunderland are now level on points with Burnley with 16 games to go, and just three behind Sheffield United. There is absolutely no reason why the Black Cats can’t steal that second automatic promotion spot, and surely there are neutrals throughout the game who would love to see that happen.