Is Jobe Bellingham coming back to Sunderland?
Owen Hargreaves and Glenn Murray hailed Régis Le Bris’ “perfect blueprint” after Sunderland’s stunning 2–1 win over Chelsea
Owen Hargreaves and Glenn Murray have hailed Sunderland’s “perfect blueprint” and tactical balance after their remarkable 2–1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – a result that lifted Régis Le Bris’ side to second in the Premier League.
Speaking after the game, Hargreaves was full of admiration for the work being done on Wearside. “It’s amazing. That’s what it’s all about. They’ve done a brilliant job,” he said. “They’ve spent a lot of money on some new players, but all of those players have had a huge impact on this team. The goalkeeper’s terrific, the fans here – they’re great.
“But they pose a threat at the top of the pitch. They don’t just sit and defend. They have a go when they can. And the blueprint is perfect at the moment. This is what we discussed before kick-off – a lot of clubs have tried it before, rolling the dice after being promoted.”
Glenn Murray echoed that sentiment, praising the structure and belief within Le Bris’ side. “I think everything Owen says is right – they’ve got a really good balance,” he said. “They’ve built that platform defensively, but they also have the confidence and licence to attack. They’re absolutely brimming with belief at the moment.”
Hargreaves highlighted the decisive winning goal, when Brian Brobbey held up play before feeding Chemsdine Talbi for a calm 93rd-minute finish. “Even away at Stamford Bridge, they think, right, let’s go for it,” he said. “Brobbey does brilliantly to hold it up, and then look at Talbi – this finish is amazing. Don’t smash it, pass it. For a young man to do that is credit to him.
“They worked so hard today. Defensively, Chelsea barely had a chance. Everyone was terrific – and the goalkeeper barely had to make a save. The manager deserves huge praise because that game plan was executed to perfection.”
Murray agreed, calling Sunderland’s display “nothing short of what they deserved.” He added: “It wasn’t a smash-and-grab. The desire to protect each other, to then burst forward in the 93rd minute, shows how well drilled and fit they are. Brobbey’s weight of pass to Talbi was perfect – and the finish summed up Sunderland’s composure. I thought they were outstanding all afternoon.”
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Hargreaves concluded by underlining the scale of Le Bris’ achievement: “You could tell they could smell it. They believed they could win it – and they did. They didn’t dominate the ball, but they used it brilliantly when they had it. It’s just a fantastic story.”
On Granit Xhaka, Murray added: “He's the stand-out player. He's the one who orchestrates it all. And he's the one who, especially at times when we're away, they go 1-0 down in three minutes. He just gets his foot on the ball, just recycles the ball a couple of times, just takes that pressure off them. Often, a team can keep going as they are and get them done 3-4-5, but just that experience to understand what is happening in that moment at the game, and some of his touches were absolutely sublime.
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