Le Bris says key moments decided Sunderland defeat

Sunderland 1-3 Fulham reaction centred on decisive moments, according to Régis Le Bris, after the Black Cats slipped to a third straight Premier League defeat at the Stadium of Light.

Fulham struck twice in seven second-half minutes through Raúl Jiménez to seize control, before Alex Iwobi sealed the result late on. Enzo Le Fée’s penalty had briefly given Sunderland hope, but the visitors proved clinical when it mattered most.

Le Bris described the contest as tight but shaped by pivotal incidents.

“(It was a game about) key moments,” he said post-match. “We had the opportunity to score and just after that they scored twice from set-pieces.

“It was a tight game and we didn’t dominate as we wanted. The first half was a bit sloppy and slow and disturbed by injuries. We tried to manage the situation and, until the third goal, we were in the game.”

The afternoon was complicated early on when Nordi Mukiele and Jocelin Ta Bi were both forced off. Le Bris confirmed Mukiele suffered a calf issue while Ta Bi sustained an ankle injury, though a full assessment is pending.

Two second-half goals from Jiménez punished Sunderland’s defensive lapses before Iwobi’s 85th-minute finish ended any realistic comeback.

Goalkeeper Robin Roefs echoed his manager’s assessment, pointing to defensive transitions and missed chances.

“We gave a lot of counter attacks away. In the second half, we were a little better. We had good chances but we weren’t there on the key moments,” he said.

“At this level, you get punished if you don’t finish chances. Overall, it’s not one chance missed. It’s not good enough and we need to step our game.”

Roefs also referenced the growing injury list but insisted the squad must remain united.

“The only way to keep on going is to keep our heads up and get three points next week.”

Sunderland’s position in the table remains precarious, with results tightening at both ends of the division. Le Bris stressed that adapting to Premier League intensity is an ongoing process.

“We are in a tough league and getting up to the new level is all about quality,” he added. “The main quality at the minute is our togetherness and the way we want to manage our connections.”

Sunderland must regroup quickly ahead of next week’s fixture, with defensive organisation and chance conversion likely to dominate training sessions. Injury updates on Mukiele and Ta Bi will be crucial in shaping selection decisions. With the league table tightening, the margin for error is narrowing and response will be essential.

Can Sunderland halt their slide and rediscover momentum in the coming weeks?