Regis Le Bris praises Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg for one thing they did vs Stoke City, ‘it’s not easy’

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Sunderland claimed a really important win over Stoke City at the weekend, but Regis Le Bris was particularly happy with Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg for one detail of their performance.

Fans had seen their team go six games without a win before Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Stoke at the Stadium of Light, and it delivered three points that keep Sunderland in the hunt at the top of the league.

Regis Le Bris got a lot of tactical decisions right on the day, and got some big performances out of his players.

While Tommy Watson may have stolen the show with his first two goals for the club, Regis Le Bris was also impressed with two of the best players in his Sunderland squad for overcoming a very different challenge.

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Jobe and Rigg walked a tightrope for Sunderland vs Stoke City

In his pre-match press conference today (via the Sunderland YouTube channel), Le Bris offered praise for the way both Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg remained disciplined against Stoke and avoided a booking that would have seen them pick up suspensions.

He said: “It’s good news because we need them. They are very good on the pitch and they had to manage that situation properly and I think they did well.

“It’s not always easy because, especially in midfield, they have to deal with many chaotic situations. Sometimes you can’t avoid a yellow card. I think Jobe was on the edge often but it was good in the end.”

Interestingly, there was only one yellow card shown during the recent game, and that was for Stoke City’s coach (and former Sunderland fan favourite), Dean Whitehead, who entered the technical area when he wasn’t allowed to.

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Sunderland showed big improvement in key areas against Stoke City

The win against Stoke showcased a mental fortitude to Sunderland that we haven’t really seen so far this season, which bodes well for the future.

Not only did Rigg and Bellingham successfully avoid a booking and the subsequent suspension thanks to their fine discipline, but Sunderland also claimed a win from a losing position for the first time this season.

For such a young squad, it is understandable that we might not see that gritty, resilient mentality all the time, but it’s certainly starting to surface.

The Sunderland squad have come through a really difficult spell of late with the run of six games without a win, and they’ve come out the other side with one of their most impressive performances of the season. Now, they just have to keep that momentum going in the next game and beyond.