Régis Le Bris has taken Sunderland from Championship uncertainty to Europe, but their slump to the bottom demands answers

Régis Le Bris has earned the right to put this right. Sunderland are bottom of the Premier League, performances have been poor, and supporters deserve better. But I’m not ready to give up on the head coach who has delivered so much for this club.

That backing comes with an expectation of change. Sunderland look like they have been worked out to a degree; their attacking play needs a rethink, and some selection decisions deserve scrutiny. Le Bris needs to find answers, but his record gives me reason to believe he can.

He inherited a club low on confidence after a 16th-place Championship finish. Within two seasons, Sunderland had won promotion, finished seventh in the Premier League and qualified for Europe for the first time since 1973-74. That is an extraordinary return, and it should count for something when assessing his ability to negotiate this difficult spell.

Only five times in 70 years have Sunderland finished in the top ten of English football. Le Bris delivered one of those finishes immediately after promotion, helping complete the club’s remarkable rise from League One to Europe in four seasons. Those achievements do not excuse what we are watching now, but they are central to why I am still backing him.

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The highs have been amazing. Wembley, derby victories, results against some of the country’s best teams and the return of European football have given supporters memories they will carry for the rest of their lives. Le Bris has played an enormous part in that.

For a long time, he has been tactically excellent. At his best, I believe he is among the strongest tacticians in the Premier League, and he has demonstrated that against elite managers with considerably greater resources. He has prepared Sunderland to compete in games many expected them to lose, identified weaknesses in opponents and found ways to exploit them.

It does not feel like that at the moment. Sunderland have become easier to contain, too often struggling to turn possession into meaningful chances. When the initial approach fails, there has not always been enough from the pitch or the bench to change the direction of a game.

That is a legitimate criticism of Le Bris. So are questions about his use of certain players, particularly when Sunderland are chasing a goal. Supporters are entitled to ask why alternatives remain unused while the same problems persist. His previous successes should not prevent those questions from being asked.

I would like to see a refresh. Whether that comes through personnel, positioning or a different approach to creating chances is for Le Bris to decide, but Sunderland need to offer opponents something else to think about. He cannot keep asking his players to improve without considering whether he also needs to adjust what he asks of them.

Four points is a poor return, and being bottom inevitably sharpens the anxiety. But a couple of victories could change the picture considerably and bring Sunderland back towards mid-table. The situation is serious enough to demand a response, without yet convincing me that replacing the head coach is the answer.

There are also circumstances that deserve consideration. Injuries to Brian Brobbey, Dan Ballard, Romaine Mundle, Habib Diarra and Wilson Isidor have disrupted Sunderland, while suspensions involving Reinildo Mandava and Kevin Danso have added further complications. Those absences do not account for everything, but neither should they be brushed aside.

It was noticeable, too, that Nordi Mukiele placed the blame squarely on the players after Bournemouth. His assessment of their mentality was blunt, and there will be different views about whether it should have been delivered publicly. But a senior player acknowledging that standards have slipped is significant. Le Bris has responsibilities here, and so do those taking the field.

None of this means supporters have to agree with me. They pay their money, give up their weekends and travel considerable distances to follow Sunderland. They are entitled to be frustrated, to question the manager and to conclude that a change is needed. I would never tell them how to think or suggest their concerns matter less because of what happened last season.

I am simply not there. When I weigh up the quality of Le Bris’s work over his time at Sunderland, I still see a coach worth backing through a difficult period. He deserves time and patience, even if those are two virtues rarely found in abundance in Premier League boardrooms.

Premier League riches ensure clubs will always become twitchy at some stage. The consequences of relegation are significant, and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has repeatedly shown that he will act ruthlessly when he believes it is necessary. Nobody should assume Le Bris is immune from that.

His achievements and alignment with Sunderland’s vision and recruitment model should, however, strengthen the case for giving him time. That is no guarantee of what Louis-Dreyfus will decide, but I believe allowing Le Bris the opportunity to turn this around would be the right call. Which brings us to Leeds United. It feels massive, and Sunderland’s supporters are owed a league performance. A sell-out crowd will want to see a team playing with purpose, creating chances and giving them something to get behind.

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Leeds are a good side with multiple threats, so this will be a demanding test. Another poor performance and a bad result would do Le Bris’s case no favours at all, and there’s a chance that the home crowd could turn. He needs a response from his players and must give them the best possible chance of producing one. I still believe this is a time for cool heads. Le Bris has done superb work at Sunderland and earned the opportunity to recover the situation. My backing remains, but all eyes are on what comes next against Leeds.