Régis Le Bris praised Sunderland's second-half intensity after Brian Brobbey and Trai Hume completed a 2-1 comeback victory over Stade Rennes in their final pre-season fixture.
Sunderland trailed 1-0 following a first-half penalty at the Stadium of Light, but responded by taking control after the interval to finish their summer preparations with a victory.
Le Bris believes the improvement demonstrated the level Sunderland must now reproduce when their Premier League campaign begins away at Ipswich Town.
Le Bris praises Sunderland response against Rennes
The Sunderland head coach admitted his team made life too comfortable for Rennes during the opening 45 minutes.
That changed after the break as Sunderland increased their pressing intensity and aggression, with Brobbey and Hume turning the match around.
“We needed to lift the intensity at half-time and we did just that,” Le Bris said.
“We imposed ourselves well in the second half. We had to show more aggressiveness and the second half showed what we can do when we play at high pressure.”
Le Bris was also encouraged by the contribution of his substitutes, describing their impact as a positive sign heading into the competitive campaign.
Sunderland injury update before Ipswich
Attention now turns towards the Premier League opener, and Le Bris has already warned his players that another improvement will be required.
“Ipswich will be demanding,” he said. “We’ll need to do more of what we did in the second half to hit the levels we need to show.”
There are also several fitness situations to resolve.
Thomas Meunier missed the Rennes victory after suffering a minor knock in training, with Sunderland still waiting to establish the full extent of the problem.
There was more encouraging news regarding Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele.
Le Bris confirmed Alderete should return to training next week, while Mukiele is also nearing a return. Sunderland hope both defenders will be available to face Ipswich.
Key Points
- Sunderland beat Stade Rennes 2-1 after trailing at half-time.
- Brian Brobbey and Trai Hume scored the second-half goals.
- Le Bris praised Sunderland's improved aggression and pressing intensity.
- Thomas Meunier's injury still needs to be assessed after his training-ground knock.
- Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele could both be available against Ipswich.
What's Next?
Sunderland now begin preparations for their Premier League opener away at Ipswich Town next Saturday.
Le Bris will want his side to reproduce the intensity shown after half-time against Rennes, while the coming week should also provide greater clarity over Meunier's fitness and the availability of Alderete and Mukiele.
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