Sunderland are back in Premier League action this weekend after their shock defeat in the FA Cup

Régis Le Bris said it was important to protect Granit Xhaka after Sunderland's shock FA Cup exit to Port Vale on Sunday afternoon.

Xhaka was introduced inside the last ten minutes of the game, with Sunderland trailing from Ben Waine's first-half header. The arrival of Sunderland's talisman proved too little, too late as the hosts held on for a famous win against their Premier League opponent despite currently sitting bottom of League One and ten points adrift of safety. A poor pitch at Vale Park had played a part in Sunderland's thinking as they ease Xhaka back to full fitness following his recent ankle injury.

Le Bris said Xhaka's fitness for the remaining nine Premier League games was vital and the number one priority despite the disappointment of the cup exit.

“We need to manage his [Xhaka] load," Le Bris said.

"I think the Premier League is our first objective, 100 per cent. We tried to go as strong as we could with the players that we have. They have done well for us before, but we couldn’t get to the right level. If you don’t show enough then you get punished, and that was the way it turned out today.

"It's important [to manage Granit]. I think the team is better with him but we had three games in a week.

"It was really important to manage his load. We didn't take the risk until at the end, because we know that he can change just a bit the dynamic. But for the future of Sunderland, we need Granit in good shape."

Le Bris had heavily hinted at limited involvement for Xhaka in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game, saying: "For Granit, we still want to stick to the plan.

"Game time is the first condition. We don't want to rush that - he didn't start at Leeds, which means something. For Port Vale, it will probably be the same idea. We'll manage according to the game time and the pitch. We'll see."

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

Le Bris: My message to Sunderland players after Port Vale defeat

“It was mainly about performance - It's fragile,” Le Bris said.

“Three days before, we won at Leeds. It was an important game, not easy to win. We deserve full credit for that. Then after that, at the professional level, you have to reset quickly, change your mind, and go like it was your first time in professional football. It's not easy to do that, so you have to learn it.

“I don't think we were complacent. I don't think so. It's not my feeling.It's more about the ability to reset. It's not easy, to be fair, but we are at the best level in England, so we have to show it. It wasn't the case today.”

Your next Sunderland read: The financial windfall Sunderland have missed out on as a result of cup exit