Régis Le Bris delivers verdict on Sunderland's FA Cup win and reacts to Enzo Le Fée's strong comeback
Sunderland won 3-0 on penalties against Everton in the third round of the FA Cup
Régis Le Bris praised his Sunderland players for their emphatic response to the defeat at Brentford in midweek and says the club have shown their intent to try and have a run in the FA Cup this season.
The Black Cats were minutes away from sealing a 1-0 win over Everton in third round, but were pegged back after a penalty award that Le Bris described as ‘harsh’. James Garner levelled the scores and set up extra time, but Sunderland held their nerve and won 3-0 in the shootout.
Le Bris said he was pleased with the intent of his side after naming a strong XI, and that the club were determined to treat the competition with the utmost respect.
“Yes, it was important to react after Brentford, I think,” Le Bris said.
“We were upset, which I think was normal because we were not at our best. Today we were ready for the fight because they are a good team, really intense. They like going direct to their strikers, to cross a lot. We were strong in duels and we were composed on the ball as well to play the football we wanted to play.
“Maybe we should have tried to create a bit more chances. We created two or three, scored once and when it's only 1-0, a decision can affect the flow of the game. It's a bit harsh because when I reviewed the clip, it was difficult to award a penalty but it was the case.
“It's tough to say we want to win the FA Cup,” he added.
“It's not possible to say that because it's a long journey and predictable but we wanted to respect the future, it's a competitive game. We were ready to fight. We want to be strong every day. We didn't want to take unnecessary risks with three, four, five players it was obvious, but the depth of the squad is good. We played this game at 100% intensity. I think for the next round it will be the same. We don't know who will be the opponent so it's always tough to say we'll win, we don't know. But at least respect the game and try your best.”
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RLB reacts to Enzo Le Fee’s impressive Sunderland performance
Sunderland had taken the lead through Enzo Le Fee’s superb volley in the first half, with the midfielder immediately bouncing back from his missed penalty in midweek.
Le Fee then stepped up to take Sunderland’s first penalty in the shootout, scoring with a fine effort. Le Bris praised Le Fee’s character but said it came as no surprise.
“Yes, it was good - really good,” Le Bris said.
“I'm not surprised but it was important to show it on the pitch. Especially at the end of this busy period when you get a bit tired. He showed great consistency. It was important because we need decisive players to make the difference. So he scored and at the end of this long game, he scored his penalty as well.
“It was important for him to give us the right rhythm with that first penalty. Robin made three impressive saves but we had to score three goals as well. So Granit, Luke and Enzo did well.”
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