As Sunderland’s impressive campaign continues to gather momentum, manager Regis Le Bris has been left beaming with pride at his team’s never-say-die attitude. Following their 2-1 victory over Luton Town on Wednesday, the Black Cats showed once again that they are not a side to be trifled with.
Bouncing back from a stubborn Hatters side, who took the lead through Elijah Adebayo, Sunderland’s spirit and determination ultimately proved too much for the hosts. Two rapid-fire goals from Chris Rigg and Romaine Mundle secured a hard-fought three points for the visitors, with Le Bris hailing the team’s collective effort as the key to their success.
“I am proud of the team spirit and the spirit of the fans because tonight we needed everyone because it was a big battle,” the French coach said, his words echoing the sentiments of his squad. And while he was effusive in his praise for his entire team, one man who particularly caught the eye was defender Chris Mepham. The 26-year-old, on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth, turned in yet another solid display at the heart of the Sunderland defense, with Le Bris lauding his stalwart qualities.
“Chris was ready for this battle, I think,” Le Bris said. “He wasn’t alone, we needed everyone and it’s a question of personality, aggressiveness.”
However, not everyone at the Stadium of Light is enjoying the same level of success. Costa Rica international Jewison Bennette, 20, has struggled to make an impact since joining the club in 2022. His time on loan at Greek Super League side Aris Thessaloniki, where he was dropped after just two appearances, has done little to improve his stock, with media in his homeland now claiming that he has been “completely forgotten” by his national team.
Bennette’s Sunderland career began promisingly, with a goal in just his second appearance against Watford. But a subsequent lack of game time has seen him limited to appearances for the club’s U-21s in the Premier League 2. His hopes of chipping in with a valuable contribution to the first team have been consistently dashed, with the winger instead often finding himself on the fringes of the side.
With his national team seemingly having moved on without him, the precariously perched Bennette must now wonder if his Sunderland career has reached a dead end. His own country’s media are already writing him off, with the likelihood of him being called up to the national team looking increasingly remote.
As Sunderland continue to soar, all eyes will be on Le Bris to determine the future of the likes of Mepham, Bennette, and other members of his squad. With the manager’s ability to inspire and motivate his players at its core, one thing is certain – only time will tell what the future holds for these talented individuals.
