Regis Le Bris fires stark warning to Sunderland squad after Oxford United triumph

Sunderland are five points clear at the top of the Championship

Head coach Regis Le Bris hailed Sunderland’s home victory over Oxford United. It was their third in a week, with the Black Cats chief claiming “the maturity of this group is at a higher level”.

The Black Cats beat the U’s at the Stadium of Light with Jobe Bellingham’s first-half header setting the home team on course, and Wilson Isidor’s stunning second-half volley sealing an impressive home win in the Championship.

This result puts Sunderland five points clear at the top of the league as Burnley and Leeds United only drew and it marks their seventh clean sheet of the season.

Speaking to safc.com post-match, Le Bris said: “I’m happy because this was our third game in six days, which was obviously challenging and difficult to control the game as we controlled that game.

“We started well, the way we wanted to play and the way we expected the opponents to create some imbalance in our block.

“We only scored once and I think with that domination we should have scored at least one more goal to be more comfortable in the second half but from that perspective it’s always interesting to keep the consistency and level until the end. I think the guys did well and the second goal was very important for us.”

Le Bris can see a continual improvement with each passing week. He continued: “We can feel a higher maturity in the group right now because they have a better control on the game.

“They can understand the different problems we are faced with and can change in real time a different shape, or find solutions to change opportunities in the game. so the consequence is the result, it is not the opposite.