AliousRégis Le Bris Stands Firm on Mayenda as Sunderland Striker Battle Heats Up with Brobbey and Isidor
Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris** has thrown his support behind young striker Eliezer Mayenda, despite the 20-year-old failing to find the net in his last two Premier League outings.
Mayenda started the campaign brightly, scoring on the opening day against **West Ham**, but has since drawn blanks against **Burnley** and **Brentford**. In contrast, substitute **Wilson Isidor** has made his mark from the bench with two goals, while the late signing of Dutch international Brian Brobbey from Ajax has further intensified competition for a starting berth.
Le Bris, speaking prior to Brobbey’s arrival, was quick to defend Mayenda’s progress, stressing patience and perspective:
> “It’s okay, it’s part of the process. Last season was similar – he missed a couple of big chances early on but grew into the campaign. Strikers can miss, goalkeepers make big saves, but he just needs confidence and support. It will be okay.”
When asked if Mayenda remained his first-choice striker, the French coach confirmed his faith in the youngster but also welcomed the depth in attack:
> *“We’ll have two or three options in this position, so is it really important? The key is to have different solutions.”*
Sunderland’s attacking selection dilemma will be tested immediately, as they travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace this weekend. With Brobbey now in the mix, Le Bris faces a big call on who leads the line.
Le Bris Confident in Sunderland’s Survival Push
Beyond the striker situation, Le Bris is bullish about Sunderland’s prospects of staying in the Premier League. The club spent more than **£150 million** this summer, reshaping the squad with ambitious signings, including Switzerland star **Granit Xhaka** from Bayer Leverkusen.
The investment has already borne fruit, with Sunderland winning **two of their first three league matches** – beating West Ham and Brentford at the Stadium of Light – although they slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Burnley.
Le Bris hailed the club’s direction and structure:
> *“I’m really positive. Strengthening after promotion is always a huge challenge, but the recruitment, the organisation, the ambition – it’s impressive. Of course, we know the journey isn’t linear, but we feel well-prepared and ambitious.”*
For now, optimism is high on Wearside. With Mayenda, Isidor, and Brobbey all competing for the striker’s role, and a deeper, more balanced squad behind them, Sunderland look better equipped than ever to battle for survival – and perhaps surprise a few along the way.
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