Mukiele's message to pundits predicting Sunderland strugglepublished at 12:04 BST
12:04 BST
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Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele is angry at pundits who are predicting the Black Cats to face relegation from the Premier League this season.
"I hear some things outside that I don't like, that people say again, like we'll go back down," the 28-year-old told BBC Radio Newcastle.
Regis le Bris' side defied the odds last season and not only beat the trend of promoted sides going straight back down, but qualified for the Europa League. Many high-profile pundits, including Alan Shearer and Jamie Carragher, have cited the extra games as a reason they might struggle this time around.
Mukiele added: "They can say what they want. Last season they said that and it was wrong at the end. We will show them, not only for them but for ourselves, for the city of Sunderland and for the fans that we will fight until the end.
"It and it doesn't matter what people will say. The most important is what is inside and we will fight until the end because I truly believe in this team and I know we will become more strong again."
Peter: Good win to get us up and running but I still think we need more creativity in midfield and down both flanks, and we still lack a clinical finisher to take chances. Mukiele was immense at the back and Xhaka and Sadiki were solid in the middle, but hopefully we can get some quality into squad before the window closes.
Allan: We can't rely on 1-0 wins. It's nervy trying to defend a one-goal lead, so we need to score more.
Brian: Solid display, fought for every ball with some good passing. Mukelele was a man mountain. Still think we lack a cutting edge up front, so hopefully we can get another striker over the line before Tuesday. Still can't my head around why we let Mayenda depart in the summer and have not yet replaced him. But in Regis le Bris we trust.
Mark: We made hard work of it against an average Fulham side. We need more creativity to complement of organisation and hard work on and off the ball.
Fulham fans
Roberto: Absolutely dismal. Never looked like scoring, and easily outmuscled and outfought. Palacios was lightweight and totally ineffective in midfield. Unless reinforcements can be brought in before the transfer window closes, a long battle to avoid relegation will ensue.
Alg: Fulham have a novice manager with a single-minded view on how to play. It doesn't worry him we do not have the players to play that style. He was totally responsible for that defeat.
Dermot: We could have been there till next Tuesday and not put a shot in. Lots of work for Fulham to do.
David: Loads of possession as usual but not a single effort on goal. It could be a long season if this continues.
But the Black Cats have returned to the table and opened discussions over a permanent offer for Danso.
Personal terms are not said to be an issue for Danso if the clubs agree a fee.
Club-to-club talks are progressing but as of yet there is no agreement.
Tottenham are likely to require a replacement before sanctioning an exit for Danso, with manager Roberto De Zerbi wanting that player to have Premier League experience.
Danso was signed on loan from Lens in January 2025 and the deal was made permanent later that year with Spurs paying the French club £20.9m.
Sunderland are also interested in signing Lyon winger Malick Fofana after previously making an offer for Marseille's Igor Paixao.
Fofana, 21, is open to a move to the Stadium of Light after being linked with a switch to Roma earlier this summer.
However, the Belgian is just one of a number of options being considered by Sunderland. Paixao has been the subject of a formal bid, while the Black Cats have also been linked with Manchester City winger Jack Grealish.
Grealish is understood to be prioritising a move to Everton, despite attracting interest from his boyhood club Aston Villa.
Sunderland are also keen on signing a centre-back before Tuesday's transfer deadline.
Sunderland 1-0 Fulham: What Le Bris saidpublished at 17:43 BST 30 August
17:43 BST 30 August
Media caption,
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It's good to be back at home and win again. The Premier League is really demanding and we faced a really good team. The lads did really well to manage their threat and create opportunities up the other side.
On Wilson Isidor's miss and goal: "The first one was about being really clinical. I think the movement was really good. The second one was really good. In this leaguem you cannot miss two in a row.
"Nordi [Mukiele] is a really good player. He can play in two positions and he is so important for the squad.
"It's the case for every team. If you don't start well, then you start to overthink. We had the exact same start last season with one win at home and one defeat. It's a new season, so a new chapter to write.
"Life is unpredictable, football is unpredictable but at least you can control your standards and the standards today were high.
On the transfer window: "The main point is that we kept the core of the squad. I'm really pleased with that. If we can reinforce the squad, then we will. We are working hard behind the scenes.
Sunderland have won a match against Fulham for the first time since another 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light in the Championship in December 2017 – it ends what was their joint-longest losing run against the Cottagers in all competitions.
Sunderland have now won their first Premier League home game in each of the last two seasons (3-0 v West Ham last year), having previously not done so since 2007 (1-0 v Tottenham Hotspur).
Analysis: Strong defensive showing from Black Catspublished at 16:12 BST 30 August
16:12 BST 30 August
Michael Emons BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
The first half lacked quality, with both sides guilty of wasting good positions with poor final passes or lack of composure in front of goal.
Sunderland created a good chance in only the fifth minute when Xhaka spread play with a pass out wide and Thomas Meunier put a cross into the penalty area, only for Trai Hume to fail to connect with the ball from 10 yards out.
The Black Cats finished seventh in the Premier League last season, to earn a first shot at a European competition since 1973-74, when they went out of the Cup Winners' Cup in the second round.
Despite conceding a last-minute goal to lose 2-1 at promoted Ipswich in their opener, with former Sunderland winger Jack Clarke scoring the winner, Friday's Europa League draw lifted the mood.
A dream away tie at Italian giants AC Milan on 10 December is something for Sunderland fans to relish, with home games against Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar, Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia, Polish side Jagiellonia and Levski Sofia of Bulgaria, along with further trips to Portugal (Torreense), Poland (Lech Poznan) and Belgium (Anderlecht).
But one of the big questions for Sunderland fans is how their squad will cope when they have a minimum of eight extra fixtures and regularly have to play on Thursday and then Sunday.
After losing at Ipswich, it was important the Black Cats picked up three points here and they managed to do that, with Xhaka the outstanding player with his long-range passing and inspirational leadership.
At Portman Road, individual mistakes had proved costly, but boss Regis le Bris will be delighted by the team effort against Fulham and the way his side defended.
Nordi Mukiele and Romaine Mundle typified that resolute spirit with last-ditch blocks to help shut out Fulham.
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Brighton" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Sunderland match", for example.
Sutton's predictions: Sunderland v Fulhampublished at 11:01 BST 30 August
11:01 BST 30 August
Sunderland need to get points on the board because they had a superb transfer window last summer but they've barely brought anybody in this year and their squad is going to be stretched because of Europe.
I got Sunderland really badly wrong last season but there's a lot of talk that they could be in trouble this year with so many games.
I still think they're good enough to stay up - they've got Granit Xhaka and some other good players. I like that they are physical and aggressive.
They made careless mistakes losing to Ipswich last week, giving the goals away, but I'm going to back Sunderland at home.
I think Fulham are going to be in a bit of bother this season, albeit they had some good spells against Chelsea last time out.
Sunderland v Fulham: Key stats and talking pointspublished at 12:58 BST 29 August
12:58 BST 29 August
Chris Adams BBC Sport journalist
Sunderland host Fulham at the Stadium of Light on Sunday with both sides looking to bounce back from defeats in their opening games.
Regis le Bris said his side "were not clinical enough" as they slumped to a 2-1 defeat away to Ipswich Town last Saturday. One encouraging sign, however, came in the form of Nilson Angulo notching his first goal for the club.
The Ecuador winger, fresh from scoring at the World Cup, is looking to become just the fourth Sunderland player to score in the opening two games of a Premier League season, after Niall Quinn in 2000-01, Michael Chopra in 2007-08 and Darren Bent in 2009-10.
Mackems not making the most of the ball
Sunderland had 62% possession in the Ipswich clash, their highest figure in a league game since their return to the top-flight last season, but it's not something that's always benefited them.
In that period, the Black Cats have lost 50% of their games when having more of the ball, compared with just 24% when they have less of it, meaning they tend to pick up more points when they don't dominate possession.
Ominously, the Mackems have won none of their past six Premier League home games against Fulham, drawing three and losing three, although they did win the equivalent fixture in the 2017-18 Championship season. In the top tier, you have to go all the way back to January 2009 when a Kenwyne Jones strike sealed a 1-0 win.
Arbeloa Craven more from his players
Fulham found themselves on the wrong end of a five-goal thriller against Chelsea at Craven Cottage in the first Monday night game of the season, conceding early in both halves.
Head Coach Alvaro Arbeloa lamented the lapses in concentration, noting: "For me, they are easy goals for them and mistakes we cannot make. We need to improve and be more ready in the first minute, that is for sure."
Externally, much of the focus afterwards was on the huge gap between his two centre-backs, Calvin Bassey and George Cuenca, with the Spaniard having a particularly torrid time on his first league start since February.
As their team look to bounce back, the Fulham faithful will be wary of their poor record on the road this calendar year. The Cottagers have won the fewest away points of any ever-present team in the Premier League in 2026 and have won their opening away match in just two of their past nine league campaigns.
One encouraging sign for Arbeloa is that the Chelsea loss wasn't down to a lack of effort from his players, who he described as having "the energy and ambition I want".
Fulham covered the most distance (121km) of any team on matchday one, while only Sunday's opponents Sunderland (40), Bournemouth (40) and Arsenal (38) made more runs ahead of the ball than the Cottagers (36) on the opening weekend.
'Milan away is exciting especially because of Newcastle's song' - Humepublished at 16:08 BST 28 August
16:08 BST 28 August
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Trai Hume is excited to play AC Milan after Sunderland drew the Italian giants in the league phase of the Europa League and referenced Newcastle fans' chant of "you'll never see a Mackem in Milan" as a sweetener going into the tie.
Newcastle played AC Milan twice in the 2023-24 Champions League, losing at home and gaining a draw in the San Siro.
Hume told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I think we always want to play against a bigger team in the group and to have Milan away is exciting, you know, especially because of the song - and when Newcastle sung about us - and now we get to actually go there and perform and play in the San Siro.
"We don't take anything away from our other opponents. We know it's going to be tough. They're in the Europa League like us for a reason and it'll be a tough test. We get to visit Belgium and Poland and there's going to be difficult places to go. I think AC Milan is the only one you talk about because it stands out as they are AC Milan. But a lot of them ones are exciting as well you know it's like I said it's just something we're really looking forward to."
Luke O'Nien has also shared his reaction to playing against AC Milan, saying it was the tie everyone in the squad wanted.
"I was out on the training pitch and someone shouted out, to be honest with you, I didn't believe them," he explained.
"We're going out there to be competitive, like in every single game we compete in. So obviously, the Sunderland fans are going to be loving it and I'm sure I've already had about 10 ticket requests before I even knew the fixture was out. It's going to be a special day but, again, we're going there to do what we do."
Mr. Sunderland is adamant this isn't a one-off appearance in Europe for the Black Cats: "It shows how far we've come but again it's important now we've got to normalise this. This is our aim to normalise these moments. It's cool that we're talking about it because it is exciting but I think the aim for everybody is you've got to make these moments normal. That's what you want to, you know, fast forward 10 years that we want to normalise these moments."
"I think that's the goal for everybody. That's what every person in the Premier League is aiming for and obviously to be competitive, go as far as you can in the competition."
Le Bris on AC Milan, Europa League draw and transferspublished at 14:52 BST 28 August
14:52 BST 28 August
Media caption,
Sunderland boss Regis le Bris has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Fulham at the Stadium of Light (kick-off 14:00 BST).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
When asked if the Europa League draw looked favourable: "I don't know, we'll see - 53 years later Sunderland are back in Europe so it's a bit unknown. We can expect strong opponents, different cultures, different experiences and we need that to get better. It's a huge privilege and we are really proud of this opportunity."
On facing AC Milan: "It's iconic, Milan. It's a massive club, massive history so to get back in Europe with that fixture, it's a symbol."
On Newcastle fans chanting "You'll never a Mackem in Milan": "I don't want to speak about that. It's more about us. We are proud of Sunderland first of all. Our fans deserve to be in this position for their passion, for their connection with the club, their support and it's going to be a huge experience but it's football so we want to be efficient. We want to be competitive in that cup as well."
On transfers: "Good news this week because we renewed three contracts. Romaine [Mundle], Robin [Roefs] and Wilson [Isidor], so to keep the core of the squad was our first pillar and then we want to add what we need. The market is still open."
He added: "I'm focused on the game first of all. I trust Flo [Ghisolfi], Kyril [Louis-Dreyfus] and the recruitment staff so we are working hard behind the scenes. We are really well aligned about our targets, what we need to get better as a team. I won't comment on individual positions. I still think that we'll succeed in this transfer window."
When asked if he can say anything on reports linking Sunderland with Jack Grealish, Le Bris offered a simple "no".
On the new contracts for Robin Roefs, Wilson Isidor and Romaine Mundle: "It's not just now. If they sign this contract now, the project is clear from the beginning and they see their future in Sunderland because they trust the club, they trust the environment, they trust the ambition of the club as well so it's just the end of the process, the signature. Overall, we are well connected."
When asked if anyone will follow Jenson Seelt out after his loan move to Swansea City: "It's still possible. It's good news for Jenson because he needs game time. We had a few conversations about what could be the next step and this one I think fits really well, his profile and what he needs at the minute."
On the availability of new signings to face Fulham: "Dayann [Methalie] will be suspended for five yellow cards received in France and Jules [Ahoka] is available."
Sunderland's eight Europa League fixtures confirmedpublished at 12:41 BST 28 August
12:41 BST 28 August
Image source, Getty Images
Sunderland's draw is complete - Regis le Bris' side now know the eight sides they will be meeting in the Europa League's 36-club league phase.
The teams were seeded into four pots based on their results in Uefa competitions over the past five years, with pot one being the highest-ranked and pot four being the lowest-ranked.
Each club has been drawn against two teams from each of the four pots, but they can only play a maximum of two teams from one country and they cannot play against a team from their domestic league.
The Black Cats will face: AZ Alkmaar (home), AC Milan (away), Dinamo Zagreb (home), Anderlecht (away), Jagiellonia (home), Lech Poznan (away), Levski Sofia (home), Torreense (away).
The order of those fixtures will be announced by Uefa in due course.
League phase dates:
Matchday 1: 16/17 September 2026
Matchday 2: 15 October 2026
Matchday 3: 22 October 2026
Matchday 4: 5 November 2026
Matchday 5: 26 November 2026
Matchday 6: 10 December 2026
Matchday 7: 21 January 2027
Matchday 8: 28 January 2027
Knockout phase dates:
Knockout phase play-offs: 18 & 25 February 2027
Round of 16: 11 & 18 March 2027
Quarter-finals: 8 & 15 April 2027
Semi-finals: 29 April & 6 May 2027
Final: 26 May 2027, Frankfurt
Listen to reaction to who the Black Cats will face below or on BBC Sounds here
'I'm excited about the bright future' - Roefs extends contractpublished at 09:36 BST 28 August
09:36 BST 28 August
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Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs says there is "so much more to come" from the team after signing a new contract with the club.
The French shotstopper has extended his stay at the Stadium of Light until 2031 after an excellent first season in the North East.
"Sunderland has felt like home from the moment I arrived," Roefs said.
"Last season was incredible, finishing seventh and qualifying for Europe, but we all feel there's so much more to come from this squad of players, so we're now focused on what's next.
"I'm really excited about playing my part in the bright future of this football club."
Director of football Florent Ghisolfi said: "He had a strong first season with us, but what we value just as much is his humility, his willingness to work and his desire to keep improving every day.
"These qualities reflect the identity and the standards we want to build at this club.
"Robin is proud to represent Sunderland, and we are equally proud to have him with us."
'A lot more to achieve' - Isidor signs new deal until 2030published at 11:07 BST 27 August
11:07 BST 27 August
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Sunderland forward Wilson Isidor says "there is still a lot more to achieve here" after signing a new deal to keep him at the club until 2030.
Isidor joined the Black Cats initially on loan from Zenit St Petersburg in August 2024 before making the deal permanent in February 2025.
The 26-year-old has scored 19 goals in 83 appearances in all competitions for Sunderland, including six in the Premier League last season as Regis Le Bris's side finished seventh and achieved Europa League qualification.
He then featured in each of Haiti's three World Cup games in the summer, scoring against Morocco.
Speaking about his new deal, Isidor said: "I'm very happy to continue my journey with Sunderland. This club has given me some great memories already and I feel there is still a lot more to achieve here.
"Playing in the Premier League and representing Haiti at the World Cup have been special moments for me and now I'm focused on continuing to improve, helping the team and giving everything I can for the supporters."
Ahoka signing 'potentially a coup' for Sunderlandpublished at 11:46 BST 26 August
11:46 BST 26 August
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Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini, speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle about new signing Jules Ahoka, who has joined from Belgian side Royal Antwerp for a fee of about £8m:
"I hope they have got a lot of inside information. Three or four good appearances - that doesn't mean too much, does it?
"I am sure it is a connection between coaches and people who have worked with him and what his character is that adds to it. But there is a big question mark.
"I sometimes wonder - should we be looking at the Championship for players of this ilk, who have got not particularly much background? The flip side to that is we have got to trust the people who are running the club because they have made a lot of good decisions. They've also made some that aren't great - we've spoken about wide players and quite a few haven't set the house on fire.
"The fee is £8m and that is a lot of money, but it's not a lot of money in the context of what we're seeing in the Premier League. If you can make this player into someone you can sell for £20-30m in two years' time, that's the way clubs are looking in the band that we are in the Premier League."
BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Nick Barnes added: "It's potentially a coup for Sunderland because they've got in quick ahead of other clubs in the Premier League.
"We've seen Ipswich change their transfer policy, Newcastle to a degree - they're looking at Belgian clubs and clubs on the continent to try to source these young players."
Image source, Getty Images
