Sunderland legend Gary Bennett has thrown his weight behind under-pressure manager Regis Le Bris but insists the team must improve ahead of their match with Chelsea.
The Black Cats head into the Blues’ fixture following Thursday’s disappointing 2-0 Europa League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, with first-half goals from Luka Stojkovic and Dion Beljo condemning the hosts to another setback.
The result has intensified scrutiny of Le Bris, whose side occupy the base of the Premier League standings with just one win from nine matches.
Ahead of the clash at the Stadium of Light, the former defender insisted that individual mistakes have been largely responsible for Sunderland’s struggles, while stressing that they cannot afford to dwell on their European disappointment when they face Xabi Alonso’s men.
“We all know that we need to get back to winning ways. It’s going to be a difficult on Sunday against Chelsea. We always knew that it was going to be a tough game,” Bennett told Flashscore.com.
“But we just made it a little bit harder for ourselves, especially with the bad result on Thursday.”
The Black Cats have conceded 17 goals in nine Premier League games, their worst defensive start since 2015-16 (19), with only Crystal Palace (21) and Ipswich (18) shipping more this season.
Against this backdrop, the former defender insists Le Bris’ men must tighten up defensively to stand a chance against the visiting Londoners.
“I think what they need to do is defend better. Cut the mistakes out,” he explained.
“We always talk about, you know, if you’ve got a good defence, make it difficult for the opposition. Don’t concede goals. You’re not going to lose games.”
Home form crucial to Sunderland survival
Sunderland sit bottom of the Premier League with just five points from nine games, having gone seven matches without a win, including a 3-1 defeat to Frank Lampard’s Coventry City last time out.
With Chelsea’s visit offering a chance to revive their campaign, Bennett believes the home supporters could play a crucial role in inspiring a turnaround.
“They (the fans) are going to be very crucial. Especially, we’ve always said that, you know, our home form is the form which will keep us in the Premier League,” the 64-year-old added.
“Sunderland know the position they’re in. They know that they need to start winning games.
“That’s the only way they’re going to get away from the position they’re in at the present moment.
“And they’ve got a great opportunity on Sunday against Chelsea. I know it’s going to be a difficult fixture because they (Chelsea) are a good team, but we are playing at home. So hopefully, you know, we can get a result.
“Fingers crossed we can get results and then get away from the bottom of the league.”
Sunderland have struggled in front of goal at home this year, failing to score in eight Premier League matches in 2026, the joint-most of any side.
They have also drawn blanks in their last three league games at the Stadium of Light, their longest such run since going five matches without scoring between January and April 2017.
In contrast, visiting Blues have kept two clean sheets in their last three league outings, surpassing their tally of just one in the previous 28 matches. They will now be aiming for consecutive league shutouts for the first time since December 2025.
Bennett throws weight behind Le Bris
Le Bris, who masterminded Sunderland’s remarkable campaign last season, has understandably come under mounting pressure following his side’s disappointing results.
Nevertheless, Bennett insists the French tactician deserves continued backing, stating that a managerial change would not necessarily resolve the club’s underlying problems.
“Yes. Again, you know, if you change the manager, he’s still got the same players,” he affirmed.
“He’s done magnificent. But at the end of the day, you look at the goals and the games which you’ve lost, and it’s all down to mistakes.”
Reflecting on Sunderland’s Europa League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, he blamed the team’s lack of intensity as key factors behind the loss.
“I just thought the first 45 minutes of the game, we didn’t create anything outright. I think our build-up play was slow; there was no intensity,” said Bennett.
“And you’ve got to give credit to Dinamo Zagreb, they were up for the game, they wanted it more than us, especially the first half.
“And they got the rewards and they gave ourselves a mountain to climb when we were two goals down.”