Sunderland v Brentford - Premier League
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“…And Sunderland have grabbed it!”
Those were Roger Tames’ words when the Lads snatched a late winner against Wolves during the 1998/1999 promotion season, and when Wilson Isidor headed the ball home from close range — before VAR forced us to endure an agonising wait following the initial celebrations — it capped a red and white comeback that provided a storybook ending to a game that was ‘Pure Barclays’, so dramatic and unpredictable were the ninety minutes of football we watched on Saturday afternoon.
It was a game that had it all: some excellent passages of play, a disallowed goal, a penalty save, the deflation of a Brentford opener and the elation of two late Sunderland strikes as Enzo Le Fée held his nerve from twelve yards before Isidor added the coup de grace with his second goal of the season — capping a memorable twenty four hours for the affable French forward.
Did we deserve to win? Did Brentford throw it away?
Who knows, but after the opening-day stroll in the sun against West Ham, this was a far grittier affair but after defeat at Burnley last time out, the fact the Lads were able to dig deeply enough to turn it round and bank three valuable points when all was said and done is testament to the team spirit and togetherness that’s unifying this group — as well as the nerveless man management of Régis Le Bris.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Wilson Isidor of Sunderland celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brentford at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Wilson Isidor of Sunderland celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brentford at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Wilson Isidor of Sunderland celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brentford at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Getty Images
A tense game marked by some exceptional performances
Aside from the aforementioned Le Fée, who turned in a colossally impressive performance that had all the hallmarks of a man on a real mission, several others caught the eye on Saturday, offering further proof that they’re starting to settle into life on Wearside and build a growing rapport with their teammates.
In goal, Robin Roefs was supreme — commanding, confident, and razor sharp when it mattered, getting down to deny Kevin Schade from the penalty spot, and his adjustment to English football continues apace.
A reshuffled Sunderland defence, minus the injured Dan Ballard, was marshalled impressively by summer signing Nordi Mukiele, who formed a promising partnership with Omar Alderete.
They were complimented by a relentless performance from Reinildo, who showed exactly why he made over one hundred appearances for Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid with a display that mixed stamina, a willingness to get forward, and some classy touches on the ball. Unlucky to concede a penalty, the Mozambican nevertheless continues to impress, his enthusiasm is clear for all to see, and for me, he’s cemented himself as our first choice at left back.
Finally, this was another impressive outing for Granit Xhaka, whose influence on the side is clearly taking root.
The Swiss international simply oozes class, gravitas and leadership credentials, and he threw himself wholeheartedly into this one, not taking a backwards step and urging his teammates on at every turn — something to which they responded in the dying embers.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland celebrates after the team’s victory in the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brentford at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland celebrates after the team’s victory in the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brentford at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Eli draws a blank — but don’t let that fool you
Eliezer Mayenda seems to live on the edge with pockets of Sunderland fans. He’s either brilliant and a glimpse of the future, or he’s ‘not good enough for this level’, but in truth, the Spaniard’s game is so unique that it’s often hard to accurately gauge how much of an impact he makes.
That said, and although he didn’t get on the scoresheet yesterday, he never gave up the fight and was more than willing to harry and chase in pursuit of an opening.
Lethal when able to operate in spaces that gives his explosive pace the chance to drive him forward, he was frustratingly confined against a well-drilled Brentford defence, but he didn’t let his frustration overwhelm him and his effort was appreciated when he exited the fray in the second half.
The Sunderland forward line is still a work in progress. The signs are promising, and I suspect Mayenda and the coaches will learn as much from games like this as they do when he hits the target. It’s all part of his ongoing development and his attitude and application have been very, very impressive so far.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Michael Kayode of Brentford turns with the ball whilst under pressure from Eliezer Mayenda of Sunderland during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brentford at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Six points from our first three games? We’ll take that, thank you!
Amazingly, this is the first time we’ve kicked off a season with consecutive home victories since 2001/2002 — an astonishing statistic and one that shows just how turbulent the past two decades have often been.
That said, to be sitting on six points after three very different kinds of games (a breeze against West Ham, a frustrating affair at Burnley and this come-from-behind triumph) is no mean feat and perhaps the most encouraging thing is that we’ve showed plenty of signs that we truly belong at this level.
The defence looks solid; the midfield is taking shape nicely, and if we can continue to load the bullets for our attackers, goals should start to come more frequently. In the dugout, Le Bris remains a calm, composed and studious figure, and you can’t overstate the impact that banking three points before the international break will have.
We’ve got momentum, belief is growing, and these lads are clearly loving life in red and white. Long may it continue!
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 30: Enzo Le Fee of Sunderland celebrates scoring his team’s first goal from a penalty kick during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Brentford at Stadium of Light on August 30, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
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