Article body analysed
Chris Wise BBC MOTD reporter at Selhurst Park Another mini milestone in Sunderland's season: a first away point in the Premier League. It's probably more significant than it seems, not just because they've got it at a very good Crystal Palace side, but also because points on your travels are a precious commodity for newly-promoted teams. What struck me about Sunderland's performance on Saturday was how measured they looked in possession. They didn't create enough, and boss Regis le Bris was quite frank about that when I spoke to him for Match of the Day afterwards. But they carried an air of composure, particularly defensively. Goalkeeper Robin Roefs was impenetrable, and appears to be an excellent piece of business. The way Nordi Mukiele dealt with Jean-Philippe Mateta is also well worth noting. He made sure his fellow Frenchman just couldn't have his usual, telling impact. For a team with so many new faces, Sunderland are gelling quickly, and it's impressive. Pundits Ashley Williams and Shay Given join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures. Watch on BBC i Player here And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds: Everton 0-0 Aston Villa Newcastle 1-0 Wolves West Ham 0-3 Tottenham Bobbie Jackson BBC Sport journalist Sunderland are yet to find the formula for picking up wins on the road in the Premier League but with be pleased to have picked up a point at Crystal Palace. The Black Cats have won both home fixtures this term but claimed just a point from two games on the road and looked devoid of ideas against the Eagles. Regis le Bris side failed to register a single shot on target at Selhurst Park and only earned a share of the points due to a fine performance from goalkeeper Robin Roefs. The Dutch stopper was called into action several times in the second half to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta, Daichi Kamada, Daniel Munoz and Christantus Uche. From an attacking point of view, Sunderland were unable to find a foothold as they still search for a first away goal of 2025-26. A home fixture with struggling Aston Villa, who are yet to score this season, is next on the agenda at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, 21 September. This video can not be played Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris spoke to BBC Match of the Day after his side's draw with Crystal Palace: "This is a really strong place to visit and we did well in the first half, we dominated the ball without many threats. "In the second half they pushed, that is normal at home but we showed good character and resilience. "Probably we didn't push enough to create chances. That is probably the next layer of the game. "You never know but the connection so far is really positive. The players want to work together and enjoy being together. You have to improve every day. " On the performance of goalkeeper Robin Roefs: "He is a really good goalkeeper. We need good players in the squad to be efficient and he had a good game today. Roefs also added: "From the start we knew what we are capable of. We really fight as a team, we are really happy with our start and it is up to us to continue this. "We are not just a team who wants to defend, we have some players who are really good with the ball. "We showed we are really good fighting for each other. " Hear more from Le Bris on BBC Sounds Hear from Nordi Mukiele Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned. Have your say on Crystal Palace's performance What did you make of Sunderland's display? Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies Oliver Glasner makes two changes to the side that won at Aston Villa prior to the international break with injured pair Adam Wharton and Ismaila Sarr dropping out. Summer signing Yeremy Pino gets his first start with Jefferson Lerma also coming in. Crystal Palace XI: Henderson, Munoz, Lacroix, Richards, Guehi, Mitchell, Lerma, Pino, Hughes, Kamada, Mateta. Subs: Benitez, Clyne, Esse, Sosa, Rodney, Devenny, Cardines, Canvot, Uche. Regis Le Bris makes two changes from a 2-1 win against Brentford last time out, with Wilson Isidor, who has scored two goals from the bench this season, getting his first start. Simon Adingra also gets the nod with Eliezer Mayenda dropping to the bench and Enzo Le Fee not named in the squad. Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Mandava, Diarra, Xhaka, Sadiki, Talbi, Adingra, Isidor. Subs: Patterson, Neil, Geertruida, Rigg, Maydena, Traore, Masuaku, Jones, Brobbey. There are eight games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment. Arsenal v Nottingham Forest (12: 30) Bournemouth v Brighton Crystal Palace v Sunderland Everton v Aston Villa - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live Fulham v Leeds United Newcastle v Wolves - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra West Ham v Tottenham (17: 30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live Brentford v Chelsea (20: 00) Kick-off times 15: 00 BST unless stated Follow all of the action and reaction here You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Everton v Aston Villa" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Wolves", for instance. Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds It was huge for Crystal Palace to keep hold of defender Marc Guehi, despite Liverpool's efforts to sign him on deadline day. Fair play to Guehi for the way he conducted himself through that transfer saga - I have a lot of admiration for him. I should have gone with the Eagles to beat Aston Villa last time out because of their recent results against Unai Emery's side - they played them four times last season, winning three and drawing the other. I am not going to make the same mistake this time. Palace are missing the injured Adam Wharton and Ismaila Sarr but their boss Oliver Glasner has a knack of making his side extremely effective no matter who is missing. Sunderland have done brilliantly to win their first two home games and I can see them making this quite tight, but I think they will have to wait a bit longer for their first point on the road. Sutton's prediction: 1-0 Read the full predictions and have your say here Sophie Brown BBC Sport journalist Crystal Palace host Sunderland in a battle between two sides who have made bright starts to the season. With two trophies in the past four months and a place secured in the league phase of Europe's Conference League, it is a great time to be a Palace fan, and the good form has not just been limited to the cup competitions. The Eagles are on the longest current unbeaten league streak of any side in the Premier League, a run of nine games. They have not gone 10 without defeat in the top flight since a run of 12 in 1990, and have set a new club record of 14 games unbeaten in all competitions as a top-flight side. It is a far cry from 12 months ago, when pressure was mounting on manager Oliver Glasner as Palace had to wait until the end of October to register their first Premier League win of the 2024-25 campaign. But having shrugged off the absence of Eberechi Eze, they must now cope without Ismaila Sarr, who has scored in the past two league games but who looks set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury in the 3-0 win at Aston Villa last time out. The away side has won five of the past six Premier League meetings between these two teams, and after their impressive start to the season, victory at Selhurst Park might no longer surprise Sunderland fans. In fact, the Black Cats could become just the third newly promoted club to win three of their opening four Premier League matches, after Nottingham Forest in 1994-95 and Bolton Wanderers in 2001-02. They are the 13th to win two of their first three – though five of the previous 12 ended up being relegated so there is still work to be done. The magic number to hit is 11 points after 10 games – none of the 12 promoted sides to have started that well over the past 10 seasons have been relegated. Two more victories in their next seven games would take Regis le Bris' side to 11 points. While they have been fast out of the blocks in terms of points earned, getting going in games has been a different matter, with Sunderland yet to score a first-half goal in the Premier League this season. Luckily for them, they have made amends in the second half, scoring five - second only to champions and early-season pacesetters Liverpool. Karan Vinod BBC Sport journalist Sunderland boss Regis le Bris has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park (kick-off 15: 00 BST). Listen to Le Bris speak to BBC Radio Newcastle here Here are the key lines from his news conference: Le Bris confirmed there are no new injury concerns. Dan Ballard's availability remains uncertain, though the head coach believes he could be ready for the game against Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Romain Mundle's return is anticipated during "the next international break". On the signing of Brian Brobbey: "Different profile, pure striker with the ability to hold the ball, to run in behind, and I think is a good finisher with a different physical profile. Eli (Eliezer Mayenda), Wilson (Wilson Isidor) and Brian are different so for a manager and the squad, if we can manage different options according to what is needed, it's better. " The Sunderland boss indicated that he was happy with the business that was done during the transfer window, especially with the addition of "three new players in the end", which adds to the squad's depth, versatility, and provides "more competition". On scoring late in games: "It is really positive to have this mindset, and it's not easy to understand why. The personality of the players, the consistency of the game model, the quality of the squad, the connection with our fans, we have many elements to explain this mentality until the end. " Le Bris suggested that the work done on the training ground with "eight or nine" players during the international break was positive, and it "was easier to manage different kinds of practices" and "to have many connections with them". On Granit Xhaka: "He is our captain right now and I think he is like a symbol with his level, his experience and his standards, and he shows to everyone how to behave, to be successful. And the connection with our club and our fans was very natural. " The Sunderland manager acknowledged that difficult conversations take place with players who are not featuring regularly, but stressed it comes down to them "understanding and being aware of the situation of stepping up in the Premier League. " He explained it is about the players "trusting the process" and knowing they will "have the opportunity". On the expectation before having a brilliant start to season: "I didn't have any expectation because we are discovering a new league, so we don't know and we didn't have to fix a limit before. So, let's work hard, try to win and we'll see. " Le Bris also noted that Selhurst Park is a difficult place to visit because "they are confident" and "it's a consequence of a huge work before". He added that "it is a good example for us, " pointing to a team that has overachieved and is now capable of winning trophies. Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news Dutch journalist Arthur Renard believes Sunderland's deadline day acquisitions will suit the Black Cats. Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle, Renard said Regis le Bris has strengthened the Black Cats' attack and picked out the abilities striker Brian Brobbey will bring to the Stadium of Light: "He has a lot of stamina and power, he's really good at holding the ball and doing quick one-twos, " Renard said. "He has a really good scoring ability although last season, he was not as prolific as in the previous two. In that way, it's maybe a little surprising that Ajax got the money they did for him. I think he could be more suited to a more physical game. "I would say Bertrand Traore has lost maybe a little bit of pace, a bit of power but he still has his moments. He scored a really important goal away at PSV. "I'm a little bit surprised that Sunderland went in for him because even in the Netherlands he seemed to be a bit out of pace, but you could see that this guy still has it [and] he does have Premier League experience. " Defender Lutsharel Geertruida has arrived on loan from RB Leipzig but has 17 caps for the Netherlands. Renard thinks he can offer something different for Sunderland. "Geertruida has technical flexibility and the different positions he can play gives Sunderland many options at the back, " he said. "He's good at reading the game and he likes going up front. He's an all-rounder. "You can maybe compare him to Jurrien Timber at Arsenal, who was a centre-back a lot of the time at Ajax and now he's a right-back at Arsenal. "That gives them a licence to go forward which Geertruida is good at. " Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds Granit Xhaka says he chose a move to Sunderland in order to experience moments of "solidarity and suffering" that will show him "another side of football". The new Black Cats captain has spent much of his career competing for domestic titles and told the Swiss publication Blikk that he hopes his time at the Stadium of Light will shape him as a manager for the future. BBC Radio Newcastle delved into the comments with journalist Nick Barnes "fascinated by the drive" of the 32-year-old. Barnes agrees with Xhaka, saying his time at Sunderland could help him be successful as a head coach. "His mindset is interesting, " Barnes said. "When you look at former players who played at a very high level who have gone into management, I'm thinking Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney and the like, most of their experiences have been at successful clubs. Then they went into management and it's a completely different picture. "But Granit Xhaka is clearly ambitious and he's looking at all aspects of management in a way. The coaching, the psychology, the influence he has in the dressing room, the leadership and how to deal with a 3-0 defeat at home. "I'm just fascinated by his drive. Even from the very start, his messages have always been 'we're here to create history and make a name for ourselves' and there's a lot of psychology that goes into his approach. "I think with the age he is and still playing at this level, he's is very driven. I could see him being very successful as a head coach. " Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds Gavin Henderson Fan writer As I write this, the international break is in full flow, and for the first time in forever , it feels as though there is a lull in Sunderland news. This pause in particular presents us with a whole new set of potential problems that we have not experienced for some time. Since returning to the Premier League, we have spent a massive amount to get the squad to a competitive level, bringing in a raft of new players. Many of these are important players for their countries. Yet their departures on international duty means Regis le Bris has had a smaller group to work with than he would have liked before Saturday's game at Crystal Palace. It likely means that the majority of those who will start at Selhurst Park will have had hardly any preparation. Considering how meticulous Le Bris is, he will not be happy having to deal with so many moving parts. That said, isn't that just part of being the coach of a Premier League side, where most teams are full of international footballers? Palace's manager Oliver Glasner has the same headaches, with the added challenge of having to reintegrate Marc Guehi after Palace put a late stop to his move to Liverpool. We just have to hope it all works in Sunderland's favour. Brian Brobbey is an unknown quantity and I would be tempted to chuck him in from the start to see if he can rough up the Palace defenders. I cannot call Guehi's professionalism into question, but could this be a good time to stick a total unknown up against him given his head may well be in the shed? If needed, the pace and energy of Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda off the bench (or as 'finishers', as Le Bris puts it) can make a difference later in the game. After starting the season with two wins from three games, going away to the current FA Cup holders presents a different task and, in truth, anything other than a defeat would be a bonus. I am hoping Sunderland's survival plan factors in having a great home record, but we must complement that with the odd win or draw here away from home. I cannot tell whether it is a good time to play Palace, but Sunderland have to go there with confidence, hoping to spring a surprise. Do not write us off - our record of scoring late goals over the past five games shows only a fool would do such a thing! Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external Tottenham are continuing to monitor Sunderland's Dennis Cirkin and might move to re-sign the left-back, who is a product of their academy, in January. (TBR Football), external Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport Sunderland have enough flexibility under Profit and Sustainability Rules to make more signings in January to boost their Premier League survival hopes. (The I - subscription required), external Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport Sunderland midfielder Milan Aleksic has joined Polish side Cracovia on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old joined from FK Radnicki 1923 in his home country of Serbia last summer and has made 10 appearances for the Black Cats across all competitions, scoring one goal. Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said: "At 20 years of age, Milan is a player who possesses the potential to progress to the next level, but to do this, he needs regular games in an appropriate environment. "Cracovia have made a positive start to the season domestically, and this move will provide Milan with the platform he needs at this moment in time. " The dust has just about settled on a busy transfer window for Sunderland. The Black Cats have made 15 signings for about £161m based on reported initial fees – the highest summer spend by a promoted side in Premier League history. Those incomings were: Habib Diarra - Strasbourg Enzo le Fee - Roma Simon Adingra - Brighton Chemsdine Talbi - Club Brugge Brian Brobbey - Ajax Noah Sadiki - Union Saint-Gilloise Granit Xhaka - Bayer Leverkusen Omar Alderete - Getafe Nordi Mukiele - Paris St-Germain Robin Roefs - NEC Nijmegen Bertrand Traore - Ajax Reinildo Mandava - Atletico Madrid Arthur Masuaku - Besiktas Lutsharel Geertruida - RB Leipzig (loan) *All permanent unless otherwise stated Sunderland also signed Marc Guiu on loan from Chelsea but his deal was cut short last weekend. Heading the other way, this summer saw notable exits for Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson. Of all the summer incomings at the Stadium of Light, who do you think will have the biggest impact? Rank them here Marco Gabbiadini has been debating the role played by Wilson Isidor on BBC Radio Newcastle. Black Cats fan Ian suggested he wasn't thrilled with Isidor's fitness levels when he starts games but he can see why his role as an impact substitute is proving successful. Gabbiadini commented there's "nothing wrong" with being a 'super sub'. "There's actually quite a few in the Premier League at the moment, " the former striker added. "When Isidor first came to the club he needed to improve his fitness and strength, but he's done that. "If you can put fresh legs on, take advantage of it because you hope the centre halves just knock off for a split-second and you end up scoring a goal. Which is what we saw at the weekend. " Listen to Sunderland audio here Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman says he is confident the Black Cats have built a squad with "the right quality, depth and competition" for the Premier League. "We want to make sure that every transfer deal is structured in the best terms for our football club, " Speakman told BBC Radio Newcastle. "What's important for us is building a squad that has the right quality, depth and competition to make sure that we are competitive in this league. That's what we've felt we have done. "The transfer window is one component - an opportunity to recruit players and adjust your squad, but it's also important that we are always reviewing the current group to make sure all of those contracts are in the right place. "We've seen the benefits of doing that over the past four or five years because we have been able to trade players out. That has allowed us to be best placed for this summer and to make the moves we wanted. "We are really pleased with the outcome. We are really pleased with the players, the mix, the balance, the alignment, the compatibility and the competition. " When asked if Sunderland will have enough squad depth during the Africa Cup of Nations, Speakman replied: "We discussed that lots as we went through the transfer window. "The most important thing for us was getting quality in. We recognise that we are going to lose one or two players when it comes around, but that's hopefully where competition and depth comes in. "It is a long season and we are going to be missing some players for a short period -we just have to accept that. " Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds Tom Mc Coy BBC Sport journalist On deadline day, Sunderland's three new signings made history - A loan move for RB Leipzig's Lutsharel Geertruida, an initial £17. 4m to Ajax for striker Brian Brobbey and then Bertrand Traore for a reported £2. 5m. Those purchases mean the Black Cats have spent £161. 7m on transfer fees this summer - almost £20m more than any other promoted club in Premier League history. The previous record was Nottingham Forest's £142m outlay in 2022. Aston Villa are the only other top flight arrivals to spend significantly north of £100m, having splashed out £127m in 2019. Both Forest and Villa stayed up so their gambles proved successful, but consolidating top-flight status is harder than ever, with the gulf between the Championship and Premier League continuing to widen. After all, in each of the previous two seasons, the three sides that came up went straight back down. As a consequence, clubs are spending ever-increasing sums in the hope of remaining competitive despite no guarantee it will pay off. Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester shelled out a total of £276. 5m last summer but accumulated just 59 points - the lowest combined figure by promoted teams in a 38-game Premier League season. Sunderland, Burnley and Leeds have been undeterred, spending in excess of £350m this year, and the early signs suggest they may have invested a little more shrewdly. The trio already have 13 points on the board, the best start by promoted sides since 2016-17. Last season's newboys were still pointless at this stage, indicating it is not merely a case of how much clubs spend, but how wisely they do it. Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter Chelsea recalled Marc Guiu as their top option to address striker Liam Delap's injury. Guiu, 19, was deemed the best loanee to lead the attack at Stamford Bridge by the Chelsea hierarchy, given his Premier League experience and understanding of manager Enzo Maresca's style of play. There had been a period of uncertainty around Chelsea's activity after Delap suffered a serious-looking hamstring injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham. A ripple effect across the transfer market followed, including blocking Nicolas Jackson from undergoing a medical examination at Bayern Munich and an inquiry to Sporting about striker Conrad Harder. However, concerns about the Denmark Under-21 forward's ability to make a difference at Chelsea made him an opportunity not worth pursuing, especially as he ultimately joined RB Leipzig. Instead, Guiu, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2024 for £5m, was seen as deserving the opportunity created by Delap's injury, and his pathway should not be blocked by a new signing. There was no recall clause in Guiu's loan agreement with Sunderland, but the two clubs' positive relationship enabled them to reach a deal, aided by a penalty clause if the young striker did not play sufficient minutes. Chelsea also factored in Strasbourg striker Emanuel Emegha when making the decision. The 22-year-old, who now captains the French club in their Ligue 1 and Conference League campaigns, is seen internally as a future Netherlands international and player capable of featuring for Chelsea or in the Premier League soon. The decision not to sign Harder and to work with Guiu was also made with Emegha's future development in mind. Sunderland forward Nazariy Rusyn has completed a loan move to Arka Gdynia in the Polish top flight. The 26-year-old joined the Black Cats from Zorya Luhansk in September 2023 and will now spend the 2025-26 season away from the Stadium of Light. Rusyn has played 32 times for the club and scored two goals, and has also spent time of loan with Hajduk Split. Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said of the move: "At this stage of his career, it's vitally important for Naz to be playing games. "We have worked hard to identify the right opportunity for him this season, and I know he's looking forward to the challenges ahead. " Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.