Sunderland

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Marco Gabbiadini says Sunderland deserved to win at Brentford after taking the game to their opponents on Saturday.

The former Sunderland striker, speaking to Radio Newcastle, believes the Black Cats' attacking approach could have earned them all three points and suggested the result could prove significant when looking back at the end of the season.

"If you finish the season in a similar position to what we finished last season and you look back over it, you might look back and think this is one that could have taken us another place up the table," said Gabbiadini.

"You can go and draw a game and it can be a bit of a stalemate and you don't take too much risk. I thought Sunderland had a real go on Saturday and really took the game to the opposition and said 'well what are you going to do about it?'

"So that means you're committing men forward, you're covering distances, so midfielders are getting into the box.

"We saw Noah Sadiki come in late into the box on so many occasions, Thomas Meunier getting in the box. You only get what you deserve usually, if you commit like that, you're going to win more games than you lose."

Gabbiadini pointed to Enzo Le Fee's strike hitting the post as an example of Sunderland's threat, while he felt Brian Brobbey could have done more to react to the effort.

He added: "I thought Sunderland deserved to win the game - Enzo Le Fee's strike hit the post. I thought Brian Brobbey was a little bit slow to react, as a centre-forward you know, the ball didn't come to him.

"You've got to reposition for what's happening next. It was clearly going to be a strike on goal, I think he needed to be ducking out of the way of that. Maybe a little un-sighted, and maybe I'm being a bit harsh but little things like that make a huge difference in a game."

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Sunderland winger Malick Fofana and left-back Dayann Methalie could make their starting debuts against Hull City in Tuesday's Carabao Cup third-round tie.

Deadline-day signing Fofana came off the bench in Saturday's 1-1 draw at Brentford and played a role in Enzo le Fee's equaliser.

"It's a good opportunity to give minutes in a competitive game, which is very positive," said manager Regis le Bris. "Dayan [Methalie] should start, probably Malick [Fofana] as well, but we'll see.

"It's much better than a friendly game. You're in your stadium against a good team. It's perfect conditions to build those minutes."

Le Bris also confirmed new signing Juan Riquelme Angulo is still awaiting his visa so is unable to join up with the team yet.

"It's just a question of visa issues," Le Bris added. "It's going to be solved, but it's a question of time."

Nick Barnes
BBC Radio Newcastle Sunderland commentator

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Whether Brian Brobbey and Wilson Isidor can partner each other without unbalancing the Sunderland team has been the subject of several questions sent in via our Black Cats Ask me Anything form.

We were granted our first opportunity to see whether the pairing of Brobbey and Isidor will or could work in the home match against Fulham.

It is hard to say definitively, but on the evidence of that short cameo, I'd suggest there is no reason to think it couldn't work.

Isidor, of course, firmly believes it could but a lot depends on the balance of the team and how the likes of Enzo le Fee and Nilson Angulo are deployed.

It may well be something Regis le Bris is happier to try at the Stadium of Light, where there is a greater emphasis on the home team attacking than in away matches.

The jury is out but Le Bris - on the evidence of the Fulham game - is prepared to try.

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Mark Scott
Final Score reporter at Gtech Community Stadium

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While there were some good performances from the Sunderland players on Saturday, the most impressive display, for me, came from the dugout.

Regis le Bris has carved out a reputation for thinking outside the box and the way a line-up that looked set to be a solid back five moved so fluidly between different shapes was testament to that - and caused Brentford a host of problems in the first half.

The lesser spotted two up top from Le Bris also worked well late in the game and there will be excitement among the fans for what he might have up his sleeve for the visit of champions Arsenal on Saturday (20:00 BST).

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Brentford and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Brentford fans

Rob: Keith Andrews needs to stick to a 4-3-3. We were getting overrun in the midfield, just like in the second half of the Leeds match. For some reason, he cannot see this, which is a concern going forward this season.

Ian: As good as we were at Leeds in the first half last week, it was the opposite on Saturday. Three changes at half-time, in addition to a substitution during the first half, gave Brentford more energy. The goal came from good build-up play, with Vitaly Janelt converting from the edge of the penalty area. Inconsistency from the match officials made the game a difficult watch at times. The penalty was given and some of the outfield tackles not. Football is a funny old game!

Graham: It was a very frustrating match as a Bees fan. We weren't ourselves in the first half and looked intimidated by Sunderland. The ref's decisions seemed inconsistent and arbitrary, but in the second half we were the better team and unlucky. The scoreline reflects the game but not our capability.

Bill: One or two games a season we will play badly, the opposition really well, and the ref will be really bad. This was one of those. Did well to draw after being played off the park in the first half. Still optimistic- second-half improvement - with brave substitutions - and we will definitely be better again next week. Come on, you Bees!

Sunderland fans

Stephen: We need to work out why we struggle to score goals. We played some fantastic football and controlled much of the game, especially in the first half - but only managed to score one goal and that came in the second half.

Paul: Two points dropped. We should have been out of sight at half-time.

David: The first half was the team's and Nilson Angulo's best 45 of the season. It has been a frustration for a while now, however, that we rarely turn our dominance into goals. Convert our chances and the sky's the limit for this side. Regis le Bris, once again, spot on with selection and changes. Great to see Wilson Isidor supporting Brian Brobbey for the final 30 and an encouraging cameo from Malick Fofana. Arsenal up next in the league - bring on the champions.

Denise: We were brilliant in the first half but we need to convert that brilliance into goals. We eventually scored in the second half to equalise, but we should have been well in front at that stage of the game.

Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett says the Black Cats "deserved" the point from their 1-1 draw against Brentford.

Bennett told BBC Radio Newcastle: "It was a good point. It was excellent football from Sunderland, especially in the first 45 minutes.

"We forced Brentford to make changes at half-time and it worked in their favour. They got their noses in front.

"Credit to Sunderland, they kept going. We deserved something out of the game. When Wilson Isidor came on, it proved he and Brian Brobbey can play together. If they can get that partnership working, who knows?

"Sunderland are playing at a good tempo. We defended when we needed to defend - Kevin Danso had an excellent debut next to Dan Ballard."

Hit play above to listen to Bennett and BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes reflecting on the game, or listen on BBC Sounds here

Chris McKenna
BBC Sport journalist

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Sunderland looked like they would rue failing to take advantage of their first-half dominance.

They have recovered from an opening-weekend defeat by Ipswich to beat Fulham and now pick up this draw.

Sunderland had so much of the ball in and around Brentford's area in the opening 45 minutes with 25 touches inside the box.

Yet they failed to create many clear-cut chances apart from when Enzo Le Fee rattled the bar.

They may argue Daniel Ballard's goal should have stood - and what a finish it was from the defender - but Kevin Danso was clearly blocking Caoimhin Kelleher.

Regis le Bris' side seemed stunned by Brentford's changes at the break and it took them a while to really get to grips with the game again in the second half.

Wilson Isidor's introduction in the 64th minute brought more of a threat while deadline day signing Malik Fofana may bring more creativity in the coming weeks after the former Lyon winger made his debut here as a second-half substitute.

Le Fee could have crumbled under the pressure after his mistake last season but he kept his cool with a fine spot-kick and a point was deserved for the visitors.

The Sunderland attacking midfielder now has 12 goal involvements in the league since the start of last season with six goals and six assists, more than any other Black Cats player.

Sunderland boss Regis le Bris, speaking to BBC Sport: "I was really happy and pleased with our first half. It was probably one of our best first halves in the Premier League so far because Brentford are a really good team at home. But you have to be clinical.

"We dominated the ball and had a good bit of possession. It's a bit of a shame to concede the goal when we di. But the lads stayed connected. It was good for the substitutes because when they came on they were good and gave us extra drive."

On Dan Ballard's disallowed goal: "It's always tough. We respect the decision."

On Wilson Isidor's contribution after coming on: "The depth of the squad is getting better, we can feel it. It is positive for the future."

On Kevin Danso's debut: "He brings authority and physicality. In this league, if you don't have this quality, it's hard to manage long balls."

Listen to Le Bris speak to BBC Radio Newcastle here

Did you know?

• Sunderland's 35 touches in Brentford's box is their joint-most in a Premier League game since the start of last season, along with against Chelsea in May.

• Since the start of last season, no side has earned more points from losing positions in the Premier League than Sunderland (23 – level with Aston Villa before their game against Hull).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brentford's performance

What did you make of Sunderland's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are seven games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Newcastle v Bournemouth (12:30)

• Brentford v Sunderland

• Brighton v Leeds

• Fulham v Crystal Palace

• Man City v Coventry - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Nottingham Forest v Tottenham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Hull v Aston Villa (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated.

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Simply predict the outcome of the six fixtures we've selected from across domestic and European competitions every week.

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I was spot on with my predictions for both of these teams last week, but I still don't feel very confident about calling the outcome of this game.

Brentford are a brilliant counter-attacking side who seem especially strong at home.

I was erring towards backing the Bees to win, like they did in this fixture last season, but then had second thoughts.

I backed the Black Cats to win their first two matches because they are a well-organised team, with plenty of physicality and also a threat up top.

My concern for them is what happens when European football starts, but that hasn't happened yet. I don't see them losing this.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Brentford are aiming to maintain their unbeaten start against a Sunderland side with one win and one defeat so far. BBC Sport takes a look at the key themes ahead of their clash at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday (15:00 BST).

It's been a promising start to the season for the Bees, who have a win and a draw from their first two matches and were a bit unlucky to be pegged back by Leeds last weekend.

None of Brentford's four league goals so far this season have come from Igor Thiago, who provided a division-high 40% of the Bees' top-flight goals last season, which helped earn him the squad's and supporters' player of the year awards.

The Brazilian's total of 22 league goals in 2025-26 was second only to Erling Haaland and he had the best conversion rate of any player to have 25+ shots in the competition last season (26.2%).

Thiago missed a penalty in the opener against Spurs and is yet to score in the league, with five of his seven shots so far off target.

However, he scored in both of Brentford's pre-season friendlies and also found the net as a substitute in the Bees' EFL Cup win at Birmingham last month.

Thiago enjoyed playing Sunderland last season, scoring three goals across the two league meetings.

While Thiago started all but one of Brentford's 38 league games last season, 21 of Wilson Isidor's 32 appearances for Sunderland in last season's Premier League were from the bench, and the Haitian international has come on as a second-half substitute in both of the Black Cats' league games in this campaign.

But lack of minutes does not mean lack of impact. Isidor has made a name for himself as a super-sub – his five Premier League goals from the bench since the start of last season is more than any other player in that time.

Last weekend, he was at it again, coming on and scoring a late winner against Fulham to earn Sunderland their first points of the season.

That was the second time he's scored a game-winning goal in the Premier League and came a year to the day since his only previous one - a 90th-minute goal that saw Sunderland beat Saturday's opponents Brentford 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.

But recent history – and geography – isn't on Sunderland's side. Their last win at Brentford in any competition was in a third-tier meeting in August 1987 – since then they have drawn two and lost two.

Meanwhile, they have won just eight points in their last 16 away Premier League matches in London, losing 12 of those games. They've lost their last three such fixtures, conceding three goals in each - one of those being the 3-0 loss at Brentford in January.

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Former Sunderland defender Denver Hume has opened up about the "really tough period" that led to his early retirement from football at 28.

Hume had not played since October 2025 after suffering a bleed on the brain during a training session with Fleetwood Town, something then manager Pete Wild said seemed to be "an innocuous collision" at the time.

A product of Sunderland's academy, he made 84 senior appearances for his boyhood club between 2018 and 2022 - the most he made for a team in his career.

"It's been a really tough 11 months since I suffered the injury," Hume told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"There was a lot of uncertainty about it. It was a lot more complex than any other injury. Definitely the goal at the start was to get back playing, but as the months go on and the symptoms persisted, I sat down with doctors. From then, it was looking at the next steps for me."

Despite his traumatic experience, Hume is remaining positive and wants to use his struggles to help others.

"The tough times I went through and the setback I had made me the person I am today," he added.

"Without that, my outlook on football and life would be very different and that's why I have the attitude I have. The tough times have shaped me into who I am and I want to use that to help people in and out of football in their journeys."

Hume also reflected on his 14 years at Sunderland, from boy to man, and the love he still has for the club.

"It was a massive part of my life," he said.

"There are still people at the club I am in touch with. The club being back in the Premier League is brilliant and it's a club I will always follow.

"I still speak to Luke O'Nien. He's a great lad and has done unbelievable for himself. He helped me when I was a younger player at Sunderland and I spoke to him a lot during that point. Massive respect for him and I'm very happy to see him in the Premier League."

Listen to Hume in full below or on BBC Sounds

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Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini says the Black Cats potentially losing midfielder Habib Diarra for up to two months with injury is "a huge blow".

The 22-year-old came on as a substitute in Sunderland's opening two Premier League games, but had to then be withdrawn again in last weekend's win over Fulham after picking up a hamstring issue.

Black Cats boss Regis le Bris has since confirmed he is set to be out for "six to eight weeks".

It is the latest setback for a player who had his 2025-26 campaign disrupted by groin surgery.

"The summer worked out quite well for him and you thought he'd come back with a lot of vigour and energy," Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"We've got some good players fighting for those midfield places so he's found himself on the bench - but, if that's the case, the one thing you want to do is have an impact on a game when you come on. He certainly did that against Fulham but unfortunately he maybe overdid it a little bit.

"Sometimes coming off the bench can be difficult as you have to get up to speed really quickly. But, to pick up an injury like this so quickly is a real blow.

"You want to really carry momentum into the season. I'm not saying you can't find it later on in the year, but he'll be so frustrated - especially with all Sunderland have to offer this season.

"With these Europa League games, if you're in the team, you know there will be chances to play because of the minutes players will have to cover."

Listen to the full chat below or on BBC Sounds

Sunderland's Chemsdine Talbi is in talks with Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad, with Turkish giants Fenerbahce and Galatasaray also interested in the winger. (Talksport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Sunderland boss Regis le Bris has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Le Bris confirmed Habib Diarra will be sidelined for around six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury: "It's frustrating, but we have to manage it and we will find solutions... It's a shame because I was so pleased with his pre-season and he's getting more mature about his game, about clarity on the pitch, about his qualities and how they fit with the demand of the Premier League."

• On Sunderland's transfer window: "We ticked our three boxes. The first one with Kevin Danso and Thomas Meunier - top level experience. The second one with Malick Fofana and Dayann Methalie - young with proven experience. The third one is for the huge potential prospects with Juan Riquelme Angulo and Jules Ahoka. We have to manage the different positions because it's already a big challenge. In the end, we are happy."

• On a potential move for Chemsdine Talbi to Turkey: "A move remains possible so it's important to respect both parties. We'll see. He's still a good player, huge potential, but after that you still have a window to decide if it's the right pathway here. I believe he can succeed here, but after that, it's a question of mutual confidence and you have to respect the player's choice."

• On new signing Angulo's role in the squad: "He will fill this third striker position." The Black Cats boss added: "I think it's important to match the demand of this position. You have to be an underdog, be patient, but also with the potential to play because it's important across the different competitions we will have."

• He feels his side "need big challenges" like when they faced Brentford last season. "It was painful," Le Bris said of his side's 3-0 defeat to the Bees last campaign, adding: "They were intense, well-organised, consistent. They have a clear identity. With their new signings, they've added an ability to play through. It's going to be an exciting challenge."

• On the depth the club has with European football approaching: "At the minute, I am happy. We will have 22, 23 players, depending on injuries. If they are available, everyone will feel a part of the team and the project and I think it's important to manage the energy."

Hit play above to hear more from Le Bris, talking to BBC Radio Newcastle, or listen on BBC Sounds here

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news.

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South American Football journalist Nathan Joyes says Sunderland fans will be "pleasantly surprised" at how well new signing Juan Angulo can "operate and turn inside the box".

The 6ft 4in, 18-year-old striker joined for an undisclosed fee from Ecuador's Independiente del Valle on deadline day.

Speaking to be BBC Radio Newcastle, Joyes said: "Independiente del Valle know how to produce young talents, but young talents that are prepped and ready for Europe.

"So, whether or not he takes a loan move first and foremost, I don't think it particularly matters too much. I think Sunderland, for the rumoured fee of £5m, have picked up a giant but one with killer instincts inside the box.

"He is a man-mountain, Peter Crouch-esque for sure, but he's very good with his feet. Don't be fooled by his size.

"I think Sunderland fans will be pleasantly surprised how well he can operate and turn inside the box and just be rather nimble. He's a very good footballer and very tidy with his feet.

"Sunderland are getting a very direct, confident young lad. He's 18, he probably looks closer to 25, 26, but the player they will be getting is someone who takes minimal touches in order to turn his body towards facing goal.

"A lot of his goals have actually not come through his size and his head, it's rather how direct he is with his feet. He can score with either his left or his right, it's all about body shape and he knows exactly how to beat the defence.

"He is really strong in terms of knowing how to get shots off, and I think it's just a case of taking minimal touches which is really surprising.

"That's where he's going to fit well into into the top leagues."

Listen to the full chat by pressing play below or on BBC Sounds here

Steve Sutcliffe, Emlyn Begley and Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalists

Premier League clubs have broke their all-time summer transfer record with spending reaching £3.49bn.

A total of £506.5m was spent on deadline day itself, up from £391m last year.

The total amount spent during the window considerably dwarfs the £1.13bn spent by clubs just five years ago and underlines the power top English clubs have to attract talent, according to figures provided to BBC Sport by Paul Macdonald, founder of FootballTransfers.com.

Three of the 10 most expensive signings in the history of football have happened this summer – with all of them being Premier League signings. In fact, this summer window featured four of the top flight's five most expensive ever deals.

So maybe it is not surprising then that of the 20 most expensive transfers completed, only six were not to clubs in the English top flight.

Indeed, newly-promoted Ipswich have spent more on new signings than the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan, Juventus and reigning European champions PSG.

Premier League clubs as a whole were willing to dip deep into their pockets this summer, as 11 of the 20 clubs broke their transfer records, six of them on more than one occasion.

Coventry, promoted to the Premier League alongside Ipswich and Hull, have done so four times over.

Read more on the Premier League's record-breaking transfer spending

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Malick Fofana's chaotic move to Sunderland was "a really difficult story to cover", says BBC Senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel.

The Black Cats eventually beat Crystal Palace to the signing of the 21-year-old forward from Lyon in a deal worth £30m, after previous interest from Arsenal.

"It was really a dramatic day and definitely one of the narratives of Deadline Day for sure," Mokbel told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"With the flip-flopping, as a journalist I must say it was a really treacherous story to cover because obviously you never want to put false information out into the public domain and as journalists and correspondents we all have responsibilities to be as close to the truth and to be as accurate as possible.

"But, we were accurate at the time of when we were reporting that Sunderland had agreed the deal and it looked like he was going there. Then obviously the Crystal Palace thing emerged and immediately those original stories about Sunderland - you're slightly concerned about have I gone too early with the story?

"But, it quickly emerged that we were all kind of bang on the money with things and it was literally a case of him having a dilemma and choosing between the two.

"It was a really difficult story to cover yesterday because one minute one thing was true and then the other minute something else was.

"So, you had to be absolutely sure of your sourcing.

"And it seemed like every single detail of that transfer was played out entirely on social media yesterday."

Listen to the full chat below or on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on Sunderland's transfer business.

Here are some of your comments:

Terence: We should have started buying earlier and also could have bid more for the Sporting winger. We are going back to the old days when we bought everyone on the last day and a lot of leftovers. Hope we have enough players to play 50 games.

David: The club have played a blinder. They have made signings that weren't expected or broadcast and have strengthened the squad considerably. In addition, a host of fringe players have been moved on. The recruitment team must be amongst the very best when you consider the last two seasons and the trajectory of the club from League One to Europe. Well played, SAFC.

Jura: Although we've only made five signings, they're quality signings and, considering we've kept hold of our star players, I'm confident this will successfully see us through to the next transfer window.

Arby: Sunderland need more scoring punch and should've prioritised a centre-forward with some history of success. A teenage wonderkid is nice with an eye on development, but lacks the historic reputation. Also, another midfielder would've been nice.

Ronald: Looks like a good all-round package, covering a number of key positions. Still a bit short on the attacking front.

BBC Radio Newcastle's Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes says fans will be disappointed no right winger was signed but, otherwise, the Black Cats have achieved what they set out to in the summer transfer window.

"Overall, it has not been a bad window," he said. "The one thing Sunderland fans will be - I don't know if anxious is the right word, probably disappointed - about is they didn't bring a right winger in. That was the one area everybody felt that there was going to be a nailed-on signing this summer and that hasn't happened.

"For whatever reason, they were also targeting left wingers. Fofana is a left winger. But, they have more or less achieved what they set out to achieve at the end of last season in this window - getting three or four quality players in and not the numbers we saw last season."

Hit play above to hear more on the right-winger situation above, and a more general assessment of the window below. You can listen to both on BBC Sounds.

Meanwhile, former Sunderland midfielder Martin Smith focused on the positive of The Black Cats keeping their top stars.

"It's been massive, just to get that stability," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"The way they were going last year, a lot of supporters thought we could lose a Roefs, we could lose a Diarra. Brobbey also went to the World Cup and did well. But, I don't think anybody made any noises to leave, which is a really positive thing.

"I know there was the Granit Xhaka thing, but that got put to bed quite quickly. If he didn't want to be here, he would have made more of a noise and he didn't.

"So it looks like a really settled bunch and it's positive they're adding to it."

What is your assessment of Sunderland's summer transfer business?

Get in touch with your views here