Sunderland In Crisis Under Regis Le Bris After Halloween Horror Show At Coventry City

On Halloween, Sunderland suffered a rather frightening defeat at Coventry City in a horrifying performance that was unfortunately fitting for the annual spooky holiday.

Coventry beat Sunderland 3-1 courtesy of goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Taiwo Awoniyi and Jack Rudoni, with Black Cats midfielder Enzo Le Fee netting a consolation goal from the penalty spot to see Frank Lampard's side inflict a heavy defeat on Regis Le Bris' side.

Ironically given the defeat came on the scariest day of the year, it was Sunderland who were frighteningly poor, and once again dug their own grave with some cataclysmic individual errors in defence.

Trai Hume's attempted clearance bounced off Luke O'Nien to see Sakamoto open the scoring with a clever curled finish past Robin Roefs, which set the tone for yet another abject defensive performance from the Black Cats.

Worryingly, this took Sunderland's tally to six goals conceded from individual errors so far this season in the Premier League, with the defensive rigidity that built the foundation for their success last season now dead and buried.

Twenty minutes later, Awoniyi was offered the freedom of Coventry to carve Sunderland open like a pumpkin and fire a low shot past Roefs after breaking through the centre of the field with far too much ease to double Frank Lampard's side's advantage.

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Bizarelly, Le Bris opted to make no personnel, tactical, or formational changes at half-time despite Sunderland being second best in every department to a side who they beat to reach Wembley over two years ago, but are now four points apart in the Premier League table.

In the early stages of the second 45', man-of-the-match Rudoni made it three with his deflected shot getting the better of Roefs, after the yet-again shocking Omar Alderete left a lazy leg out rather than forcefully defending the Coventry playmaker, and was dismissed in injury-time for a petulant second yellow which encapsulated his side's embarrassing performance.

Le Fee answered back with an emphatic penalty later in the half after O'Nien, who ridiculously was Sunderland's biggest threat in the opposing box, saw a shot handballed by Ethan Pinnock, but the Frenchman's spot-kick proved to be nothing more than a consolation goal.

After hearing a cacophony of boos from the travelling supporters, Le Bris' squad should be haunted by their disgraceful performance on their journey home to Wearside on Saturday evening.

Currently, Sunderland could not look any less than the side that finished seventh in the Premier League table and qualified for European football just over five months ago.

Defensively, the once resolute Black Cats backline looks easily penetrable, soft and dishevelled.

In midfield, captain Granit Xhaka has seen last year's previously lofty standards slip to a shocking low this season, perhaps with the hangover of his failed summer move to Chelsea still lingering.

Despite the return of Brian Brobbey, Sunderland continue to look toothless in attack in the Premier League, with Le Fee's penalty their only goal in the league since late August.

One win in nine in the league. Six goals scored and 17 shipped in the process. No fight, determination, creativity, or grit on display from any Sunderland player.

In the dugout, Le Bris appears to be a dead man walking.

The Frenchman's continued bizarre selection decisions, tactical employments and puzzling substitutions scream to be a man who has run out of ideas as Sunderland manager.

It now remains to be seen whether the Stadium of Light hierarchy will offer Le Bris more time to resurrect his side's season.

As the Coventry defeat drew to a close on Halloween afternoon and the darkness continued to descend on the Black Cats' abject start to the season, the writing now sadly appears to be on the wall for the Sunderland boss.