Sunderland won the Wear-Tyne derby 1-0 at the Stadium of Light

Régis Le Bris said his Sunderland players were not getting carried away in the aftermath of their Wear-Tyne derby win.

Nick Woltemade's own goal early in the second half at the Stadium of Light secured the win for the Black Cats, who extended their unbeaten league record in the derby to ten games. Aside from local pride, it was also a hugely significant win for the hosts as they prepare to lose a number of players who will depart for the Africa Cup of Nations this week. The win took Sunderland to 26 points for the campaign, thirteen clear of the bottom three. Le Bris said his players would enjoy the win but be ready for their next challenge against Brighton next week.

"They were calm and relaxed," Le Bris said of the mood in the dressing room afterwards.

"Probably tired a bit because it was a tough game. But I like as well this atmosphere because those players, this squad, doesn't get carried away. We know that this league is tough - if you don't work hard, if you are not connected with your game model, you get punished really quickly. So we'll enjoy today and get ready for the next fixture."

Le Bris said he handed over the pre and post-match speaking duties to assistant coach Michael Proctor and Luke O'Nien, who were both able to get across the importance of the game to the squad.

Le Bris said: "Today we had Proc [Michael Proctor], because he knows the importance of this derby. And we had Luke, who had different experiences in this club as well."

Sunderland celebrated their win by taking a photo on the pitch after the game, mirroring Newcastle United after their win on Wearside two years previous.

“It's a game - when you win, you are happy,” Le Bris said.

“After that, obviously, we have players who were here for a long time, so they probably know better than the new ones how important this derby is, especially when you lost the previous one. So now it's a question of just being composed, as I repeat. You can enjoy it and then reset because we'll have another tough challenge in a week.”

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Regis Le Bris delivers verdict on Wear-Tyne derby win

Régis Le Bris says Sunderland's Wear-Tyne derby win over Newcastle United showed how quickly they are growing as a Premier League team.

The Black Cats won a derby of few chances after Nick Woltemade headed into his own goal early in the second, but the hosts had controlled possession in the first half and had the best chance through a Dan Ballard header. Sunderland then managed the game well in the closing stages, with Robin Roefs having few saves to make despite Newcastle United dominating possession.

"Yeah, I'm happy," Le Bris said.

"We expected a tough and tight game, and that was the case. I think during the first half, we showed great composure on the ball and without the ball. Tactically, I think it was really well played. The only regret at half-time was the final third.

"How could we create something more? We were a bit too patient sometimes. Finally, we found a solution just at the beginning of the second half. After that, we played a strong team. It was obvious that this was the first goal they were able to push. Our structure, 4-4-2, then 5-4-1, was strong."

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