LE BRIS PRE MAN U

Regis Le Bris looked ahead to Saturday's clash against Manchester United and how the scenario is different from our defeat at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

INJURIES

“They are okay. The only one except Dan’s suspension is Romaine (Mundle). All the others are available.”

TACTICAL FLEXIBILITY

“It’s important to design the best setup possible to be competitive because it’s going to be challenging and really demanding. We have used different shapes and different options this eason and we’ll see which one we will use for the start of the next game.”

REVERSE FIXTURE

“I think the first 30 minutes they were really dominant and they damaged our left side, we were really exposed. It was a strong experience, really useful for the games afterwards because it means that when you are not ready in just one small part of the game, the opponent can damage your defence really easily. They have many strong players with the ability to score from every position and phase. We know it’s a good team, they’re really strong, so we’ll have to show the best version of Sunderland 100%.”

KEY FOCUS

“The first part is to be really disciplined and well-connected as a team, more or less an industrious approach with hard work. The other side is going to be key as well, to be bold and creative because if you don’t move and disturb the opponent then they will play in their comfort zone and I don’t think we can play like that if we want to be competitive.”

SUPPORTER IMPACT

“We have to be aligned, that starts with us and the way we play. After that, you have key moments in games. Sometimes you suffer and you need support to contain the opponent because it’s hard, and when you generate momentum and can switch the dynamic of the game then if you feel the energy, the players give even more. This connection is strong, the squad is huge, but I repeat it starts from us and the way we play on the pitch. If we are disciplined but are bold and creative at the same time, we will have our key moments. But if we are not aligned then this opponent is so strong that it can kill us.”

BALLARD RED

“We cannot change the situation. It happened, we’ll try to have conversations to help the referees find the right balance, and after that we have to move on.”

EARNING MEMORABLE VICTORIES

“I think it’s a good opportunity at the end of the season. It might have been much more difficult at the end of this season, especially at the end, so here we have the opportunity to play with freedom but also without naivety because the opponent will be strong. It’s a privilege to play against Manchester United at home in front of our fans but it’s a huge responsibility as well. It’s challenging, I think the players like the challenge and like to be just on the edge, to show how good they can be, but it’s also a question of togetherness and the connection between players, and managing key moments.”