Sunderland hit by injuries as derby looms
Brighton win 1-0 at Sunderland after a fluke Minteh cross beats Ellborg. Le Bris’ side, hit by injuries to Le Fée, Angulo and wing-backs, leave Brobbey isolated. Xhaka returns but creativity fades.
Stoke beat Sunderland 3-0 in monsoon-like conditions, with Berry’s penalty, Dixon and Morgan scoring. Missed chances and Agboola’s injury compound a night that preceded the season’s collapse.
Injury doubts cloud Sunderland before the derby, but 18-year-old Chris Rigg impresses on the right and is desperate to start. Message is clear: be ready, show commitment, and avoid defeat at Newcastle.
Report claims Sunderland have lodged a £12.9m bid for Real Madrid’s 18-year-old Thiago Pitarch Pinar, who has featured in Champions League and La Liga. The youngster says he is happy at Madrid.
Katy Watson reaches 100 Sunderland Women appearances at 20, hailed for intelligence, pressing and consistency. An academy graduate now central to the side and a symbol of the club’s pathway.
Leeds commentator Bryn Law slams Sunderland for time-wasting at Elland Road and labels both the Sunderland and Crystal Palace matches ‘awful to watch’, accusing them of ugly, disruptive tactics.
