Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris admitted it was “a difficult” decision to substitute Chris Rigg just 37 minutes into the teenager’s Premier League debut against Aston Villa at the Stadium of Light.

The 16-year-old midfielder had been one of Sunderland’s most lively performers in the opening stages, but a moment of indiscipline from Reinildo changed the complexion of the match. The left-back, already awarded a free-kick after a challenge from Matty Cash, reacted angrily by kicking out at the Villa defender and was shown a straight red card.

Forced to reorganise, Le Bris opted to sacrifice Rigg in order to introduce a defender and shift into a back five. The England youth international looked understandably frustrated leaving the pitch, having impressed in his brief cameo, but his manager insisted the decision was purely tactical.

“It was difficult,” Le Bris said afterwards. “Chris played really well for his first real Premier League start. I am happy for him — he works hard and always brings great energy to the squad, even when starting from the bench. But after the red card we had to make changes to stay solid out of possession. It was important to adjust the shape.”

Sunderland fight back with ten men

Villa eventually broke the deadlock in the 67th minute when Cash drilled a low strike through a crowded box after a short corner, with goalkeeper Robin Roefs unable to react in time.

Despite being a man down, Sunderland responded strongly and were rewarded when Wilson Isidor found the equaliser in the 75th minute, earning the Black Cats a valuable point.

Rigg’s reaction

Although disappointed that his debut was cut short, Rigg showed maturity in his response. Posting on Instagram after the match, he wrote:

“Not exactly what I was hoping for on my first Premier League start, however these things happen. The lads dug in deep to get a very important point today and the fans did more than enough to help us. Thank you for your support. HWTL.”