Sunderland send a playful response after Erling Haaland graphic highlights Stadium of Light record...
Sunderland sent a playful message to Manchester City on social media after a post highlighting Erling Haaland’s prolific scoring record across Premier League grounds.
City shared a graphic listing the stadiums Haaland has scored at since arriving in England, noting that the Norway international has now found the net at 23 of the 24 Premier League venues he has played in. One notable omission from the list was the Stadium of Light, which appeared at the bottom of the graphic without a tick.
The post did not go unnoticed on Wearside. Sunderland replied with a smiling emoji, a light-hearted acknowledgement of the fact Haaland has yet to score at the Stadium of Light since the Black Cats’ return to the Premier League. Sunderland will not face Manchester City at home again in the league until next season, having already hosted Pep Guardiola’s side earlier in the current campaign. That meeting, played on New Year’s Day, finished goalless, with Régis Le Bris’ side holding the reigning champions to a 0-0 draw.
As a result, the Stadium of Light remains one of the few Premier League grounds Haaland has yet to score at, a statistic Sunderland fans were quick to enjoy following the social media exchange. With the Black Cats unbeaten at home this season, supporters will be hoping that record stays intact for as long as possible.
What did Régis Le Bris say after the Arsenal game?
Régis Le Bris felt Sunderland showed encouraging signs despite falling to defeat against Arsenal, insisting the performance reflected progress rather than a step back. The Sunderland head coach praised his side’s approach both in and out of possession, acknowledging the fine margins that ultimately decided the contest against one of Europe’s strongest teams.
“We showed character and personality with and without the ball,” Le Bris said. “It was the game we expected. We knew Arsenal were really well rounded and have the ability to be impactful from set-pieces and especially after the counter press. We lost two balls and conceded two goals.
“It doesn’t mean our game wasn’t good. Especially at the beginning of the second half we had a couple of opportunities to be back in the game. We didn’t seize those opportunities and against an opponent like Arsenal if you don’t seize those few opportunities, the game is gone.”
Le Bris was also pleased with how his players responded after going behind, pointing to the quality of Sunderland’s football during spells of the match. “Our reaction to their goal was good,” he added. “I was happy with that and with the quality of our football.”
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The head coach stressed the importance of perspective, reminding supporters of the gap Sunderland are still working to close following promotion. “We are still a newly promoted side against maybe the best team in Europe at the minute,” Le Bris said. “They’ve built this team over many years. We’re not at the same stage and we have to take the lesson. It’s important to build on strong foundations and improve those details.”
Le Bris also referenced the challenge of playing away from home, while insisting the defeat could still serve a purpose in Sunderland’s longer-term development. “It’s always harder away. The crowd is really useful to generate and sustain momentum. We use it at home which is a big advantage because of the identity of the club and connection with our fans. Away we don’t have exactly the same support and the opponent has. But overall today is a good step for our progression. It’s a defeat, we have to accept that, but we can move forward.”
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