‘It’s a real skill’ – Matt Le Tissier names the reason why Sunderland have taken the Premier League by storm
Regis Le Bris is the main factor behind Sunderland’s impressive start to the Premier League season following their promotion from the Championship.
That is according to Premier League legend Matt Le Tissier, who exclusively told Football Insider that he believes Regis Le Bris‘ ability to help his numerous new signings gel has been the key to Sunderland‘s success so far.
The Black Cats have been the Premier League’s surprise package in 2025-26, as they currently sit seventh in the standings after four wins from their first eight games back in the top-flight.
Frenchman Le Bris was appointed as manager in the summer of 2024, and he led them to an unprecedented Championship promotion through the play-offs after they had only finished 16th in the previous campaign.
He has been nominated for Premier League Manager of the Month for both August and September so far this term, and his side have shown no signs of slowing down as they aim to finish in the top-half.
Regis Le Bris has done a stellar job in charge of Sunderland
Le Bris coached Lorient’s youth teams prior to becoming a professionally licenced coach in 2022, as he soon became the manager of their first-team and led them to a tenth-place finish in Ligue 1 in his first full season in charge.
He was unable to keep the French side in the top-flight in 2023-24 and so soon joined Sunderland, where he has become one of the most highly-rated managers in the country over the last 16 months.
Le Bris is under pressure to succeed at Sunderland after they spent around £160million in the summer window, but he has delivered to an great degree so far after an impressive start to the campaign.
| Games managed | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points per game |
| 60 | 27 | 16 | 17 | 1.62 |
His choice to appoint Granit Xhaka as Sunderland’s new captain after his summer move has definitely paid off, while summer additions like Robin Roefs and Nordi Mukiele have also performed to fantastic standards.
Le Tissier picks out Le Bris as main factor behind Sunderland’s recent success
Former Black Cats manager Roy Keane recently insisted that Le Bris has done “a great job” on Wearside, while Man United boss Ruben Amorim praised him as a “very good manager” after their recent clash at Old Trafford.
Le Tissier has backed Sunderland to make a charge for Europe if they continue their current form, and speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former England and Southampton striker picked out the Frenchman as the key to their recent rise as a club.
He said: “I put (their success) down to the manager, to be honest with you, because I think it’s a real skill to be able to take a fresh bunch of players and to mould them into a team so quickly. So, I think the manager is massively key to that.
“I think their fans will also play a part. If you’re going to stay up in the Premier League, you’ve got to pick up lots of points at home. It’s so tough winning on the road in the Premier League when you’ve just come up from the Championship.
“In fact, I don’t think Southampton won an away game last season. Maybe we won one, against Ipswich. So, yeah, it is tough when you come up from the Championship.
“Picking up points at home is going to be pretty key. And so far, Sunderland have done it really, really well.“