Sunderland made a number of summer signings, but one has been particularly influential for Anthony Patterson this season.
With a new manager coming in over the summer, it was always likely Sunderland would make a fair few changes in the playing squad, too.
Regis Le Bris wasted no time in shaping the team how he wanted them, and the Frenchman got them performing on the pitch nicely very quickly, with the Black Cats flying high in the league.
While Le Bris may need to mix things up to get Sunderland back to winning ways, the North East outfit are still in the top four and have a solid foundation to build upon for the rest of the season.
Anthony Patterson praises ‘unbelievable’ Chris Mepham
Most players in the Sunderland squad have come in for praise this season, but goalkeeper Anthony Patterson has highlighted Chris Mepham in particular that he thinks has been a standout performer, and explained how the defender has helped him improve.
“Mepham has been unbelievable,” Patterson said. “He’s so solid and is concentrating so much all the time and he does his job really, really well. It gives me a big boost. We have a good relationship and I think you can see that on the pitch as well.”
It’s important for any goalkeeper to have defenders in front of him that he can trust, and Mepham has clearly established that dynamic with Patterson already this year.
Sunderland fans were in ‘awe’ of Mepham’s display against West Brom on Tuesday night, and the 27-year-old was arguably Le Bris’ best player on the pitch.
Sunderland should sign Chris Mepham permanently
Mepham is currently on loan from Bournemouth, but Sunderland would be remiss not to try and land the centre-half on a permanent basis.
The defender has become a key figure in Le Bris’ side, offering the maturity and composure needed to help the young squad make significant progress this season.
| Statistics | Chris Mepham 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 12 |
| Minutes played | 1,078 |
| Tackles won per 90 | 1.00 |
| Blocks per 90 | 1.33 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 1.17 |
| Passing success | 87.6% |
Since his arrival at the Stadium of Light, Mepham has played all but one minute of the last 12 matches, and it seems unthinkable that he won’t be around next year, particularly if the Black Cats were to gain promotion.
His current contract expires at the end of the season, and it would be a big surprise if he wasn’t keen on sticking around at Sunderland, especially given the relationship he has forged with the fans at the club so quickly.
Meanwhile, Anthony Patterson needs to improve his distribution if he is to make it to the top level, but with players like Mepham around him, the young goalkeeper will only continue to get better and better.