Bottom club Sunderland to stick with manager Le Bris

Sunderland manager Regis le Bris is set to be given more time to turn things around despite his side's poor start to the Premier League season.

Le Bris is under pressure after Saturday's defeat at Coventry left the Black Cats bottom of the table with just one win from their first nine league matches.

However, club sources have told BBC Sport they believe the Frenchman can bring about an improvement in results.

Sunderland face Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League at the Stadium of Light on Thursday, then host Chelsea in the league on Sunday before the international break begins.

Le Bris joined Sunderland from Lorient in 2024 and, in his first season in charge, oversaw promotion back to the Premier League after an eight-year absence.

The 50-year-old then guided the Black Cats to an impressive seventh-placed finish a year later, securing a spot in the Europa League.

It was the first time Sunderland had qualified for European competition in 53 years.

They have won two and drawn one of their Europa League league phase matches so far.

Le Bris' Sunderland were undoubtedly last season's surprise package, but they were also among the Premier League's biggest overperformers.

The Black Cats scored three more goals and conceded six fewer than their expected goals (xG) figures would have predicted.

They ranked towards the bottom of the league for possession and both the volume and quality of their shots, but stood out in defence.

Only Burnley and West Ham faced more attempts at goal, but the Wearsiders often restricted opponents to low-quality opportunities.

The average xG of the shots they faced was the second lowest in the league, while their save percentage of almost 72% was the second highest. That helps explain how Sunderland conceded the fourth fewest goals despite facing the third most shots.

It has been a very different story this season. Le Bris' side have gone from allowing the second-lowest xG per shot to the second highest.

The number of shots they face per game is almost unchanged, but opponents are creating far better chances. That has left goalkeeper Robin Roefs exposed, with Sunderland's 50% save rate the lowest in the top flight.

That defensive decline has been compounded by profligacy at the other end. The Black Cats rank 10th for xG but have scored six goals fewer than expected, making them among the Premier League's most wasteful finishers.

It was only five months ago that Sunderland became the first team promoted as play-off winners to qualify for Europe since Ipswich Town in 2001. But the Tractor Boys were relegated the following season and the Black Cats risk following suit unless Le Bris can address their problems at both ends.