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What we learned from Sunderland’s massive win at Middlesbrough

Sunderland ran out 3-2 winners at the Riverside last night for their first league win on Teeside in 20 years.

The Black Cats had to come back from a lot of setbacks during the game and showed real class and grit to be able to claim a huge result in their automatic promotion race. There were many talking points throughout the game and some that stood out more than others.

Enzo Le Fee produced a performance that a lot of people would regard as the Frenchmans best in a Sunderland shirt, while still in his unnatural position out on the left hand side. He registered his first assist with a lovely pass to find Wilson Isidor who managed to keep his cool one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Le Fee also had a major part to play in the winner with a sublime first touch to bypass Luke Ayling, who he gave a torrid time all evening. Le Fee showed his quality all night with some real flashes of brilliance to bamboozle veteran Ayling on a number of occasions.

Sunderland look to have a real classy player on there hands and manager Regis Le Bris has since admitted that he still does not feel like the Frenchman is at his absolute maximum yet and I believe the signing of Le Fee may be the difference between a playoff place and a place in the automatic promotion places. Sunderland and Le Bris now face a real headache on how to fit the magician in his most favourable position.

Le Fee’s ability to take the ball in close situations really helped Sunderland last night as his teammates have shown that they really trust him in taking the ball in situations where others may struggle. Sometimes ‘marquee signings’ come into a team and try unnecessary tricks and flicks but Le Fee’s ability to showcase his magical flicks managed to be very impactful as seen for the winner which is testament to his next level decision making and at times made him look like a step ahead of everyone on the pitch.

Le Bris handed Salis Adbul Samed his first start for Sunderland in their draw against Plymouth last weekend, an experiment which Le Bris himself admitted didn’t quite work but Samed’s cameo in this game showed some control in a situation that Sunderland have recently found difficult going into the last ten minutes holding a one goal lead.

Abdul Samed came on as a substitute in the 72nd minute last night and produced a performance which I also believe could prove pivotal in the promotion race. Sunderland have lacked a natural defensive midfielder since Cory Evans picked up a long injury.

While Dan Neil has moulded into that position excellently and showed some real classy performances in that role, having someone completely natural in that position to come on and close games out, could be very crucial for Le Bris and also allow Neil to play his line splitting passes and try and unpick teams that way, allowing Jobe Bellingham gets closer to Isidor, which was the main reason why Le Bris’ experiment last week against Plymouth failed due to Isidor being so isolated, and Salis and Neil both in the same sort of position. Le Bris got that substitution spot on last night, wrestling back control as Boro were Just getting on top after Haden Hackney’s stunning strike

Have Sunderland got some defensive issues at the moment?

Sunderland on a whole have the 4th best defensive record in the division conceding 0.9 goals per match, however, in the last two games Sunderland have conceded some soft goals.

Le Bris has the option of the colossal Dan Ballard who has been on the bench following his return from an injury which may give Le Bris a slight selection headache. Chris Mepham has been brilliant since his arrival in the summer, and you can see why Le Bris likes using Luke O’nien so much, because of his elite ball playing ability especially against sides that sit in against Sunderland.

Dennis Cirkin while last night started slowly, like many of his Sunderland teamates but from then really grew into the game both defensively and offensively and Trai Hume is consistent in a Sunderland shirt winning tackles and intercepting. However, Le Bris may try a defensive rejig as the games come thick and fast in the automatic promotion race.

Lastly I want to heap some praise on Elizer Mayenda, who was unlucky not to start both games after his winner at Pride park not that long ago. Mayenda has came on as a substitute in both games since and not thrown his toys out of the pram and put in a real shift for the team. Massive testament to the culture and team spirit that Regis Le Bris has built in this Sunderland team.