Sunderland struggle in Premier League amid European run — SkimNews
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- Sunderland have won just one of their first nine Premier League games this season, leaving them bottom of the table with six defeats and two points from safety.
- Régis Le Bris is under pressure as manager after last season's European qualification, with French football expert Julien Laurens stating he is not seeing Le Bris find solutions to reverse the team's decline.
- Granit Xhaka questioned the team's courage following a 3-1 loss to Coventry, echoing earlier criticism from defender Nordi Mukiele, who said the squad had become arrogant.
- Sunderland spent £161m on new players after promotion in 2025 but only £60m this summer, retaining key figures like Xhaka and Brian Brobbey, who has yet to score this season after returning from injury.
- Sunderland's European campaign has started positively with two wins and a draw in the Europa League, but domestic form has suffered, with the team losing two and drawing one of three league games after European fixtures.
- Julien Laurens highlighted the challenge of balancing Thursday-Sunday fixtures and limited training time, suggesting Europe may be a distraction despite fan excitement over upcoming trips like San Siro.
Why it matters: Sunderland’s dual challenge of surviving relegation and managing a European schedule tests the limits of a squad with limited summer investment. With leaders like Xhaka underperforming and Le Bris losing credibility, the club risks losing both its Premier League status and the progress that brought it back to prominence just a year ago.
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