Sunderland were beaten 1-0 by Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday, and Phil Smith’s report for The Echo highlighted several key points from the performance.
Sunderland can’t argue with the result despite frustration over officiating
Fulham took time to settle, but by the end they were clear and deserved winners. Sunderland lacked their usual intensity and allowed the hosts to dictate the match, even though Fulham didn’t score until the final ten minutes. The statistics summed up the gap between the sides: 24 Fulham shots to Sunderland’s four, with an XG of 2.16 compared to 0.17.
Right now, Sunderland aren’t offering enough going forward to get away with being so open without the ball. The team’s post-promotion focus on defensive organisation has mostly paid off, but Fulham found it too easy to play through them. It was a reminder of the quality Sunderland are up against. Despite Fulham’s league position, they remain well coached and dangerous in attack, while Sunderland looked short on both aggression and control.
There’s no need for panic, though. Sunderland have been committed and resilient this season, making this flat display feel like a one-off. It also shows that, despite a strong start, this is still an early-stage team that needs to be close to its best to get results—and it wasn’t at Craven Cottage.
The system issues leave Le Bris with a major choice
The defeat can’t be pinned solely on Régis Le Bris keeping faith with the 5-4-1 that worked well before the break. Sunderland created more against both Chelsea and Arsenal in that shape. Saturday was more about individual levels dropping, particularly in midfield, where Fulham managed to assert control in a way few teams have against Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki.
Even so, Le Bris now has a big call to make ahead of facing Bournemouth. Sunderland looked blunt, struggling to find the extra midfielder they usually generate through Hume drifting inside or Geertruida stepping forward. With little pace available on the counter and their best dribblers on the bench, they simply couldn’t build or sustain attacks. They improved after the interval, pushing higher and getting more players around the forwards, but couldn’t maintain it.
At home, adding another midfielder may help Sunderland progress the ball and free space for one of their more dynamic wingers. Bournemouth are strong, so defensive adjustments matter too, but Sunderland must find more going forward.
Sunderland could have turned to the bench earlier
A deeper squad has allowed Le Bris to make proactive substitutions this season, often helping Sunderland score late and rescue points. This time, though, a double change from both sides shifted momentum decisively in Fulham’s favour. Sunderland’s substitutes struggled to influence the game, while Fulham’s Emile Smith Rowe and Samuel Chukwueze made an immediate impact. From then on, a Fulham goal felt likely.
Given Sunderland created so little, it felt wasteful that Simon Adingra and Eliezer Mayenda were introduced only in stoppage time, especially when the team needed more attacking threat earlier.
A tough bench call shows Sunderland’s increasing depth
Le Bris is far from short of options. Chris Rigg was left out of the squad despite being fit and having travelled, with Le Bris opting for extra defensive cover instead. More difficult choices lie ahead, especially with AFCON approaching and both Romaine Mundle and Dennis Cirkin returning to fitness. The growing depth means Le Bris can change things quickly if he doesn’t see the reaction he wants after this setback.