Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka reacts on social media after the draw with Tottenham in north London
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Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka sent a defiant message to supporters after the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur, underlining the belief and momentum building within Régis Le Bris’ side.
Posting on Instagram in the hours after full-time, Xhaka shared a powerful action shot from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, showing him roaring in celebration in front of the away end, clad in Sunderland’s blue kit. Alongside the image, the Switzerland international wrote: “Keeping the unbeaten run going. #GX34” – a short but pointed message that quickly resonated with supporters.
The post attracted significant engagement, amassing more than 78,000 likes within the first 15 hours, with Sunderland fans and team-mates alike responding in the comments. Several Black Cats players publicly backed their captain, while supporters echoed Xhaka’s message of steady progress and resilience as Sunderland extended their unbeaten run to five matches.
Xhaka’s message came after another gritty display from Sunderland, who recovered from a difficult first half in north London to claim a deserved point. Tottenham had dominated the opening stages and went ahead through Ben Davies, leaving Sunderland under sustained pressure before the break. Le Bris’ side struggled to impose themselves early on and were forced to dig deep to stay within touching distance.
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The second half, however, saw a clear shift. Sunderland grew in confidence, tightened up defensively and began to pose more of a threat in transition. Enzo Le Fée struck the post as the visitors sensed an opportunity, while Tottenham became increasingly nervy protecting their narrow lead. The equaliser arrived with 10 minutes remaining when Brian Brobbey produced a decisive moment. After smart link-up play on the edge of the box, Brobbey smashed an emphatic finish past Guglielmo Vicario, sparking wild celebrations in the away end and visible frustration among the home crowd.
Xhaka was central throughout, leading by example in midfield and marshalling his team through a testing opening period before Sunderland’s revival. His post-match message reflected the collective mindset within the squad – calm, grounded, but quietly confident about the direction of travel. With Sunderland now sitting on 30 points after 20 Premier League games, the message from the captain carried added weight. Few would have predicted such a position at this stage of the season, particularly given the disruption caused by injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations.
What did Le Bris say after the game?
Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris admitted his side were fortunate to still be in the game at half-time, before praising their response in a hard-earned 1-1 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur. The Black Cats struggled to gain control during a difficult first half and went in behind, but a much-improved second-half display was rewarded when Brian Brobbey struck late on to earn a point in north London.
Asked what he said to his players at the break, Le Bris was candid about Sunderland’s performance and the fine margins involved. “We had a lack of energy and just one needle down, it was possible to switch on, which probably we were a bit lucky because in a Premier League game, when you don't play at your best, you should be punished. And it wasn't the case, so we were still alive,” he said.
“And we said, just switch on, do simple things well, because I think tactically we were OK. It was just a question of being more composed with the ball, the ability to win the first contact, because they went direct, as expected, against our man-for-man press. And we didn't win the first contact, the second ball, so the balance of the game was like that. And we had the character and the quality to switch on, and I think it's positive.”
Le Bris’ tactical tweaks and substitutions proved decisive after the interval, with Sunderland gaining a foothold as Spurs’ early dominance faded. The head coach explained the thinking behind his changes, including the introduction of Dan Ballard, who had been managing an injury.
“Absolutely. It wasn't possible to play with Ballard in the first half because of his injury. We didn't want to rush the process,” Le Bris said. “I think in this game, especially when you go directly to Richarlison, once, twice but 20 times, I don't know how many, you need two strong centre-backs with a specific profile.”
Le Brs added after the game: “Nordi and Omar did well, but Ballard is a weapon in that case, so he helped. And Nordi, I think, was good on the right side as well, to deliver crosses and to use the big spaces. Finally, to deliver this key pass at the end.”