Le Brise could drop Talbi by starting Sunderland’s new version of Sessegnon

The Premier League enjoys the rise of surprise packages every year, but Sunderland have managed to defy expectations and establish themselves at the crucial time after last year’s promotion.

In the previous two Premier League campaigns, all newly promoted outfits were quickly reinstated. This highlighted the widening gulf between the top two tiers and shattered the competitive forces that formed the British pyramid.

Under coach Regis Le Bris, the Black Cats were fluid on the ball and difficult to score. They are not a team that scores freely, but the Stadium of Light has seen fewer goals for both teams than any other stadium in the top flight this season, and it is their formidable power that has ensured a happy comeback.

The summer transfer window was expensive for the Wearsiders, but with their successful spending they laid a blueprint for other teams to follow.

However, what is interesting is that their most expensive player, Khabib Diarra, has struggled to integrate into the Sunderland squad.

Khabib Diarra’s Sunderland career so far

Sunderland signed Diarra from Strasbourg last summer in a club-record £30m deal. Journalist Sam Blitz described him as “the leader of this team”, but the 22-year-old has yet to break into his skin and take on responsibility on the field.

The Senegalese attacker has improved in recent months, perhaps buoyed by the now-defunct AFCON victory.

However, his lack of creativity and lack of sharpness on the ball still leaves a lot to be desired as he has yet to prove himself worthy of wearing the badge of Sunderland’s most expensive player.

The dynamic midfielder has started each of Sunderland’s last eight Premier League games and, while incomplete, his energy and physicality open the door for Le Brice to further improve his team’s attacking potential.

But Diarra has yet to prove that he should be among the top names on the team sheet every week.

Indeed, he has a team-mate who is emerging as the club’s new version of Stéphane Sessegnon and is itching to get back into the starting XI, and he made a convincing case in the Tyne Wear derby.

Le Bliss must unleash Sunderland’s new Sessegnon

This Sunderland team is as good as any team that has graced the Premier League over the past few decades. However, there are many star players such as Jermain Defoe and Sessegnon who will make this team even stronger.

Now, in Enzo Le Fey, Le Bris may have discovered a new version of Sunderland’s mercurial attacking midfielder. Both players are blessed with natural skill and creativity on the ball, and their playmaking abilities must be utilized even more effectively during the working weeks of the 2025/26 season.

Hailed by his manager as an “incredible” talent, Le Fay has started a few games off the bench in recent weeks as Diarra continues to develop into a starting role, but could that change towards the end of the season?

After the victory at St James’s Park, journalist Mark Douglas praised Le Bris as a “top manager”, praising his subtle tactical play and calling him “one of the best managers at adapting during a match”. Part of this success was the introduction of Le Fay in place of Diarra in the 85th minute. He caused a nuisance by picking off passes and running around inside the opponent’s half.

His silky style (and apparent problems in expressing his talent on the pitch) has drawn comparisons to Sessegnon, who was similarly versatile from midfield to forward positions, scoring 18 goals and providing 17 assists in 97 appearances for the Black Cats.

The fact that Le Bliss will be an option in Sunderland’s return to the majors shows how far this outfit has come in recent years.