AliousSunderland Boss Régis Le Bris Warns Players Ahead of Old Trafford Test Against Man Utd
Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris has issued a stern reminder to his squad as they prepare for a daunting Premier League trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on Saturday.
The pressure is mounting on United boss Ruben Amorim, who is desperate to turn his side’s fortunes around after a sluggish start to the campaign. Last weekend’s 3-1 defeat to Brentford has intensified scrutiny on the Portuguese coach, and failure to claim three points against newly-promoted Sunderland could prove disastrous — especially with the October international break looming.
Despite United’s struggles, Sunderland know they face one of their toughest assignments since returning to the top flight. The Black Cats have enjoyed an encouraging start to life back in the Premier League, sitting fifth in the table after three wins from their opening six matches. But Le Bris insists his team must raise their performance levels to compete in such an intimidating setting.
“Playing at Old Trafford demands personality and character,” Le Bris told reporters at his pre-match press conference, as quoted by the *Sunderland Echo*. “We know they are a strong side, creating chances in many ways — from direct play, from set pieces, and of course they have talented individuals. To be competitive in Manchester, we’ll have to step up. The only thing we can control is our own approach, our game plan, and our mentality to face this challenge.”
This will be Sunderland’s first trip to Old Trafford since 2016, when United secured a 3-1 victory courtesy of Daley Blind, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. While the Red Devils will be targeting a similar result to ease pressure on Amorim, Le Bris’ men are determined to cause an upset and continue their impressive momentum.
The Sunderland boss also addressed the subplot surrounding United winger Amad Diallo, who enjoyed a highly successful loan spell at the Stadium of Light in the 2022/23 season. Having recently returned to training after compassionate leave, the Ivorian could feature against his former side.
“Amad’s time here was really important,” Le Bris admitted. “We all appreciate him — both as a player and as a person. But on Saturday, he is part of the opposition. We will say hello, but during the 90 minutes, he will not be a friend. He will be treated as any other opponent.”
With United desperate for a reaction and Sunderland eager to prove their resilience, all eyes will be on Old Trafford this weekend for what promises to be a fierce battle.
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