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Sunderland earn the fruits of their labours
After a gruelling battle with Manchester City followed by a tight turnaround ahead of this trip to North London, it felt like a good bet that Sunderland might find the going tough against Spurs, and that’s certainly how it was for the first forty five minutes as the Lads turned in a disjointed, lethargic and generally poor performance that hinted at tired legs and weary bodies.
Ben Davies’ opener — the result of some slipshod red and white defending and Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven making a nuisance of himself — was a suitably irritating way to fall behind but as we should all be aware of by now, this side is made of tough stuff and the phrase “lost cause” has no place in any coaching manual that you’ll find at the Academy of Light or on Régis Le Bris’ bookshelf.
Our second half display — marked by crisper passing, increased aggression and far more variety — was much more like it and Sunderland’s equalising goal in the form of a thunderous Brian Brobbey strike was most certainly merited.
Collectively and individually, the Lads weren’t really at it during the first half on Sunday, but that’s OK, because this side’s powers of recovery are an open secret and the energy we were able to summon after the break was a source of real pride — another example of the resilience that runs through this team and will hopefully continue to carry us forward.
Yes, “natural finishers”.
No, we don’t carve out the greatest openings in the world, but when you’ve got a Dutch powerhouse with a hammer of a right boot and a propensity for delivering in key moments — Arsenal at home, anyone? — there’s always a chance to play your “get out of jail free” card and when the former Ajax striker smashed the ball past Vicario to get the Lads back on level terms after a slick move, it felt like moment of immense relief for both the player and his teammates.
Brobbey excites me. I’ve had a good feeling about him ever since he signed for us, and I’m desperate for him to succeed at Sunderland.
I love his physicality, his aggression, his ability to hold the ball up and his penchant for brushing off defenders like autumn leaves, but this was a classic example of “See ball, hit ball, score” and given that it earned Sunderland a valuable point after a performance that was somewhat hit and miss, finesse was able to take a back seat to sheer, raw power.
He’s making a sizable impact in a Sunderland shirt and given that powerful strikers are still worth their weight in gold at this level, it’s easy to see why he’s quickly established himself as a favourite of Régis Le Bris — and of the Sunderland supporters too.
Stand and deliver…your Mukiele or your life
During a game in which Sunderland often had to live by their wits, dig deeply into their reserves of resilience and fighting spirit and show that every point we earn means a great deal, one member of the defence stood taller than ever — and it was that man Mukiele once again.
What else can you say about this powerhouse defender that hasn’t already been said multiple times since he arrived on Wearside for a fee that wasn’t exactly steep at the time but now feels like nothing short of a bargain? He’s just so good, so accomplished and so composed; the kind of player we’ve all doubtless dreamed of watching in a red and white shirt but that few of us perhaps ever thought would actually sign for Sunderland.
From a perfectly-judged defensive header to deny Richarlison in the first half to an array of thumping tackles, immaculately-timed blocks and perfectly-executed interceptions, Mukiele was often supreme on Sunday and with Omar Alderete firmly established and Dan Ballard on the comeback trail, the centre of the red and white defence is something we need not lose much sleep over.
Want to beat Sunderland? Good luck, because Mukiele wants to ensure that you don’t — and countless opposition attackers have found that out to their cost this season.
Enzo Le Fée: workhorse, magician, inspiration
Don’t allow your judgement to be clouded by the fact that Le Fée’s 2025/2026 goal and assist tally is fairly modest, because like many mercurially talented players, you often have to dig a little deeper to uncover the secret and to understand what it is that makes him so influential and such a key member of Régis Le Bris’ side.
No such focus was required yesterday however, because Le Fée’s mixture of work rate, skill and vision were integral to Sunderland — particularly during our second half recovery — and his sheer commitment to the cause and ability to inspire those around him is something that should never he downplayed.
Unlucky to hit the post with a sharp glancing header, the former Roma playmaker was a constant source of threat, buzzing around, keeping the ball moving and doing his level best to haul Sunderland level — as well as playing a role in Brobbey’s equaliser.
Curiously, I actually think there’s much more to come from him in an attacking sense, because he certainly has the vision and the technical quality to unlock defences, but for now, his all-action style and attitude are perfect for us and under Le Bris, he continues to go from strength to strength.