Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has pointed to his aspect’s “perception” as one of many key causes for his or her constructive season to date.
The Black Cats are at present eighth within the Premier League, degree on factors with seventh-place Brentford, who they face on the Gtech Group Stadium on Wednesday.
Sunderland remained 4 factors off the Champions League locations after they got here from behind to attract 1-1 with Tottenham on the weekend, courtesy of a robust strike from Brian Brobbey.
They’ve additionally come again from a purpose all the way down to beat Chelsea and draw towards Arsenal within the 2025-26 marketing campaign.
Le Bris praised his aspect’s resilience and the perspective of their substitutes after their stalemate with Spurs.
“It’s a query of perception,” mentioned Le Bris.
Granit Xhaka, Sunderland AFC Captain. pic.twitter.com/MVmjrlQyeF
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) January 5, 2026
“When you possibly can flip a sport round like that, it offers you confidence for the longer term as a result of you recognize you are able to do it once more.
“We’ve proven many instances that it’s potential, and that perception is at all times in our minds.
“The bench helped us as soon as once more as a result of we want our finishers. Typically we want one, two, or three, and so they helped quite a bit.”
Brentford are unbeaten of their final 5 matches within the league after they beat Everton 4-2 on Sunday.
Igor Thiago scored a hat-trick within the victory on the Hill Dickinson Stadium, marking his first targets within the league since a win over Burnley on the finish of November.
“It’s an excellent feeling,” mentioned the Brazilian striker.
“I’m joyful for my efficiency and to get the three factors from a troublesome sport.
“Everybody helps me, everybody believes in me, so thanks to my team-mates, the workers and the followers as properly.
“It means a lot to me. It means they [fans] help me, they imagine in me, they belief me, and so they push me, so I’m actually joyful once they sing my title and once they help me.”
Good Morning pic.twitter.com/Hwb1Fprmrn
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) January 5, 2026
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brentford – Igor Thiago
Thiago has scored 14 Premier League targets this season for Brentford, only one in need of probably the most by a Brazilian participant in a single marketing campaign within the competitors (15).
That file was beforehand set by three gamers: Roberto Firmino in 2017-18, Gabriel Martinelli in 2022-23, and Matheus Cunha in 2024-25.
Sunderland – Brian Brobbey
Including to his strikes towards Arsenal and Bournemouth earlier within the season, Brobbey now has three targets to his title within the Premier League.
The 23-year-old is already one purpose in need of equalling his Eredivisie tally from 2024-25, when he scored 4 instances in 30 appearances.
MATCH PREDICTION – BRENTFORD WIN
That is simply the second time Brentford have hosted Sunderland in a league sport within the twenty first century, following a 3-3 draw within the Championship in October 2017.
Brentford have earned 34 factors from a potential 39 at residence towards promoted golf equipment within the Premier League (W11 D1 L1). The exceptions have been a 2-1 loss to Norwich Metropolis in November 2021 and a 1-1 draw with Leeds United final month.
And Brentford have received six of their 10 residence Premier League matches this season (D3 L1) below new supervisor Keith Andrews. It’s the most wins by a Bees supervisor in his first 10 residence league video games since Mark Warburton received 9 of his first 10 in 2013-14 in League One.
Following their 2-1 win on the Stadium of Gentle in August, Sunderland need to full their first league double over Brentford since 1987-88 within the third tier.
Nevertheless, Sunderland have drawn every of their final 4 Premier League video games, and will grow to be the primary aspect to attract 5 in a row within the competitors since Fulham from December 2020 to January 2021.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brentford – 57.6%
Draw – 22%
Sunderland – 20.4%