Much has been made of the impact the Africa Cup of Nations could have on Sunderland’s fortunes over the next few weeks. Yet much like their impressive adaptation to life in the Premier League, they seem to take it all in their stride.
Without four of those who helped them record a derby victory over Newcastle last week because of the tournament that kicks off in Morocco on Sunday, Sunderland showed their fighting qualities with a gritty defensive display against a misfiring Brighton team who have lost their way in recent weeks.
While Brighton have now failed to win their last four matches having been knocking on the door of the top five a few weeks ago, Sunderland find themselves in genuine contention for Champions League qualification with almost half the season gone. It was no wonder many of the travelling supporters wearing Santa hats emblazoned with the face of Régis Le Bris who had made the 700-mile round trip to the south coast could barely contain themselves at full-time.
“The players who didn’t play before will need time to step up, but they showed they are ready to go. We have to ride the wave,” said Le Bris, who was able to bring the Senegal midfielder Habib Diarra off the bench after a long injury layoff before he joins the list of those departing.
Brighton, who last won a Premier League match in December in 2023 – a run of nine matches, had their chances to seal victory late on, but this was another extremely frustrating afternoon for them and there was a smattering of boos at the final whistle.
“We are in a phase where we are struggling to score at the moment but the table is so close,” said disappointed Fabian Hürzeler.
Already without their suspended captain, Lewis Dunk, and the influential Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba after his departure to Morocco this week, Hürzeler’s plans were further disrupted when Jan Paul van Hecke was ruled out through illness. It meant Brighton fielded a new central defensive partnership of summer signings Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola that looked edgy at times. Their veteran top scorer Danny Welbeck was also sorely missed against the club where he spent a season on loan in 2008 having been ruled out due to a back injury. “He’s our best goalscorer so it would be stubborn to say we are not missing Danny. But we have players who can replace him,” said Hürzeler.
Le Bris brought in Lutsharel Geertruida, Chris Rigg, Trai Hume and the former Brighton winger Simon Adingra to fill the void caused by Afcon, with the Frenchman having promised that the disruption will not affect his team. A squad that was augmented by 14 new signings in the summer should help fill the void for the time being.
Geertruida – the versatile Dutch international who is on a season-long loan from RB Leipzig – certainly looked the part replacing Noah Sadiki in central midfield alongside the evergreen captain, Granit Xhaka. “I’m not sure if he knows his best position,” said a joking Le Bris.
Having survived when an early header from Mats Wieffer smacked against the crossbar after Robin Roefs produced an excellent reaction save, Sunderland’s defence, marshalled by the imposing Dan Ballard, looked extremely comfortable for most of a dour first half. Brighton can look irresistible up to the edge of the penalty area, but lack the ability to stretch defences when Georginio Rutter leads the line given his tendency to drop deeper.
When Brighton did finally find a way to penetrate Sunderland after Yankuba Minteh’s express pace took him past Hume, there was no one to tap in his cross at the back post. Bart Verbruggen was called into action immediately after the break when he somehow tipped Omar Alderete’s close-range header on to the crossbar.
The referee, Darren England, waved away Brighton’s appeals for a penalty when Minteh’s cross struck Xhaka on the hand while it was down by his side.
Hurzeler threw on Kaoru Mitoma for his second appearance since returning from an ankle injury, but it was the Sunderland substitute Romaine Mundle who forced Verbruggen into another save two minutes after replacing Rigg.
Yasin Ayari could not take a glorious opportunity to snatch the win for Brighton when Roefs parried away his powerful drive. Not even the late arrival of Sunderland’s playoff winning hero Tommy Watson, who was afforded a standing ovation from the away end when he came off the bench, could deny his former club a deserved point.
