Regis Le Bris reveals contents of conversation with Illan Meslier after howler vs Sunderland

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has opened up on the conversation that he held with Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier following the stopper’s costly error in Friday night’s 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light.

The 24-year-old played a pivotal role in the final result on Wearside, allowing a routine ball into the box to slip through his grasp and beyond him into the back of the net deep into stoppage time. As a consequence, Leeds missed out on the opportunity to leapfrog Sunderland at the summit of the Championship table, with the Black Cats remaining there as the EFL enters its second international break of the campaign.

For his part, Le Bris worked alongside Meslier during his stint as a coach in Lorient’s academy back in his native France, and speaking in a post-match press conference, the Sunderland chief was quick to admit that the goalkeeper’s howler was something of a bittersweet moment.

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After being pictured in conversation with Meslier after the final whistle, Le Bris was asked what he had said to his former player, to which he responded: "I'm disappointed for him. I like this boy and I like him as a goalkeeper as well. Everyone on the pitch can make a mistake. For a goalkeeper and a striker, when you make a big mistake the consequences are very important. It happened today, we're happy for the final result because it was a tough game against a strong team.

“Still difficult because when you make this kind of mistake, you're disappointed for him. I can't say anything. We just spoke about the action and said the ball changed direction when it touched the ground and it was surprising - happy for me but not so happy for him.”

Addressing the mistake, Le Bris’ opposite number, Daniel Farke, said: "In 30 years in professional football I've lost and won many points in the last second. Something like this I've not experienced.

"The game was over, the goalkeeper takes the ball into his hands, arms, time is over, referee blows the whistle and you've won with a perfect away performance. To lose two points, we have not lost the game, but to lose those points is heartbreaking, horrendous, so so disappointing for our lads. I feel for them, they've done more or less everything right.”