Sunderland

Sunderland boss Regis le Bris, speaking to Sky Sports: "The game was balanced, key moments defined the outcome. We had a big opportunity just before their goal and then the momentum shifted. We know set pieces are important and we were not good enough today to manage those situations.

"The first half was a bit slow, with the ball we were not good enough. We were sloppy at times. Both teams had the opportunities. It was a tight game."

On injuries: "It is what it is, you have to go through difficult moments. Today is not a good day but it's part of the journey and we move forward."

On how players feel: "Disappointed. After defeat it is normal. As a newly-promoted side it is not a surprise, you have to go through this kind of situation. We show our character to react."

Did you know?

• Sunderland have won just four of their last 24 Premier League matches played on Sundays, with all four wins coming against Newcastle; they're now winless in 19 Sunday games against all other opponents.

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Having started the season with an impressive 12-match unbeaten run at home in the Premier League, Sunderland have now lost their past two games at the Stadium of Light, failing to bounce back from their defeat to Liverpool.

Moments before Fulham's opener, Romaine Mundle was played in by Lutsharel Geertruida, but he missed the target from only a few yards out.

Nilson Angulo also had an effort touched over the bar when Sunderland were trailing 2-0.

It was a frustrating afternoon for the Black Cats, made worse by two first-half injuries.

Manager Regis le Bris lost defender Nordi Mukiele - impressive this season - and Jocelin Ta Bi, who was making his first league start for the club.

But the sight of captain Granit Xhaka returning in the second half after a four-match absence was a welcome one as Sunderland look to halt a worrying run of four losses in five league games.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Sunderland's performance

What did you make of Fulham's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Sunderland give a Premier League debut to January signing Joecelin Ta Bi.

The 20-year-old winger, who joined from five-time Israeli champions Maccabi Netanya after a loan spell with Hapoel Petah Tikva, made his debut in Sunderland's FA Cup win over Oxford United last Sunday.

He's the only change from Sunderland's last league game, a 1-0 loss to Liverpool, with Reinildo Mandava ruled out with a knee injury.

Sunderland XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Ta Bi; Sadiki, Le Fee; Hume, Diarra, Angulo; Brobbey.

Subs: Ellborg, Geertruida, Talbi, Rigg, Mayenda, O'Nien, Mundle, Isidor, Xhaka.

Fulham make just one change from their last Premier League match, a 3-0 loss to Manchester City.

Injury forces out Samuel Chukwueze so Kevin comes into the starting XI. Fulham's last match was a 2-1 win over Championship outfit Stoke in the FA Cup.

Fulham XI: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Sessegnon; Iwobi, Berge; Wilson, Smith Rowe, Kevin; Jimenez.

Subs: Lecomte, Reed, Muniz, Cairney, Bobb, Cuenca, Castagne, King, Diop.

There are four games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Wolves - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Nottingham Forest v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Sunderland v Fulham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Tottenham v Arsenal (16:30 GMT) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction from the 14:00 games here

And go here for Tottenham v Arsenal

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Sunderland v Fulham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Spurs v Arsenal", for instance.

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Sunday's mid-table clash between Sunderland and Fulham at the Stadium of Light (14:00 GMT) brings together two sides experiencing slumps in otherwise solid seasons, both buoyed by progress to the FA Cup fifth round.

Sunderland's 1-0 defeat against Liverpool in their last league fixture was their first loss at home all season, having won seven of their previous 12. It was the longest unbeaten home start to a top-flight campaign by a promoted side since Nottingham Forest went the entire 1977-78 campaign without defeat.

Black Cats have stopped purring

Head coach Regis Le Bris made six changes for their cup success against Championship strugglers Oxford United and it will be interesting to see if the Frenchman thinks anyone he drafted in made a good case to start this game as he looks to arrest a decline in the Black Cats' form.

Since victory in the Tyne-Wear derby on 14 December, the Mackems' only league wins have come against Crystal Palace and relegation candidates Burnley, a run which has seen them drop from seventh in the table on New Year's Day to 11th.

Le Bris's side have lost four of their last six league games, as many as they had in their first 20 this season. Successive defeats to Arsenal and Liverpool marked the first time they've lost consecutive league games this term.

Chukwueze does it

Having been in the best form of their Premier League lives throughout December and January, Fulham are another side having a wobble, with three losses on the spin leaving them 12th in the table, one place and two points below Sunday's opponents.

Marco Silva's side have struggled on the road this season, with only the bottom two, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley, having suffered more away defeats than Fulham's eight.

Most of the plaudits for the Cottagers' success this season have gone to Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, who scored the winner in the reverse fixture in November. Kevin's recent contributions have also caught the eye, but there's another attacker adjusting to life in west London who shouldn't go unheralded.

Winger Samuel Chukwueze has endured a stop-start Fulham career since joining on loan from AC Milan in September, largely due to his involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria.

Despite his limited time on the pitch, his contributions have been notable. Of all players to have played 500-plus minutes in the Premier League this season, only Erling Haaland is averaging a goal involvement more frequently than Chukwueze.

Fulham, who are aiming to complete the league double over Sunderland for the first time since the 2002-03 campaign, have a good recent record against promoted teams, although their 12-game unbeaten run in such fixtures came to an end with a 1-0 defeat at Leeds United in January.

Huzaifah Khan
BBC Sport journalist

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 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Le Bris confirmed captain Granit Xhaka is back and available after training this week, but Bertrand Traore is out, though he could be back soon.

• He added that full-back Reinildo has picked up a knee injury and will be out for "three or four weeks" but will potentially be back for the derby with Newcastle on 22 March.

• On how important it is to have Xhaka back, Le Bris said: "It's better to play with Granit than without. [There are] more options for the starting 11 and the bench. I think the team is stronger, so for Granit we'll have to be progressive to respect the process and it's good because now we have three or four midfielders available and we'll have a fourth one."

• On having to leave out a player: "The competition is important in a group. It's important as well for the team because we can't play with only 11 players."

• On defender Trai Hume taking fewer throw-ins recently, Le Bris confirmed he has an "issue" with his hand and hopes he will be able to resume his throw-ins again soon.

• On a chance to get closer to 40 points, he said: "Yes, we have 12 games left, so 36 points available and I want to see the positive side. Next game is an opportunity to win three points. We know in this league, there are no easy games, never. We spoke about Burnley, for example, or Wolves that are still competitive and every weekend it shows it clearly."

• He added: "We want to stay ambitious but we know it's a learning curve. We know we have to stay positive. We have to stay competitive. "

• On facing Fulham: "They are a well-established Premier League team now with this ability with those patterns to play through you, through the pressure and they have good players. They have this ability to be clinical. Harry Wilson is in good form, but he is not the only one. They are strong and it will be a good test for us."

Hit play above to hear more from Le Bris or listen on BBC Sounds here

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of this game on Sports Extra 2 and BBC Sounds from 13:55 GMT

Got a question about Sunderland? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Nick Barnes has analysed and broken down the minutes for the recent Sunderland Fans Collective meeting.

Topics include where away fans are situated in the Stadium of Light, pre-season tour plans, and next season's replica shirts.

Listen below or on BBC Sounds

Gavin Henderson
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Sunday's game between Sunderland and Oxford United was far from an FA Cup classic, but it offered us a reminder of just how fortunate we are to have Luke O'Nien at our football club.

Luke has been written off more times than I have had hot dinners down the years - yet almost eight years since he signed when we were in League One, he's still here, and absolutely smashing it and proving people wrong.

Obviously, he's a lot older and wiser now, and has improved so much, but I'm not even sure Luke himself could have imagined back then that he'd still be playing for Sunderland all these years later as a Premier League footballer.

Opportunities have been few and far between for him this season because of the unbelievable form of some of the other players, but he's stayed focused, hasn't complained and trained hard every day so that when his chances do come, he's ready.

He won the man-of-the-match award for his performance against Oxford, and his physical tussle throughout with Will Lankshear was probably the highlight of an otherwise relatively uneventful game.

I imagine that there were a queue of Championship clubs desperate to take Luke off our hands in January, but he had absolutely no intention of leaving, which was a huge relief to hear as I think we'd be a far poorer club without him in that squad and on the training ground every day.

He's now in his 30s and, given the rate at which we're progressing, it's entirely possible his time with Sunderland will soon come to an end, so I think it's important that fans cherish every opportunity we get to see him stroll out on to the pitch in red and white.

Well in, Luke - top class.

Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external

Sunderland will try to sign a new striker this summer to replace 25-year-old French forward Wilson Isidor, who wants to leave the club. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini says an FA Cup run would be an opportunity to "reward the fans".

The Black Cats were drawn away at League One Port Vale or Bristol City of the Championship in the fifth round.

Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle: "They'll be very happy with that. There were a lot of Premier League teams in there.

"After what we've achieved in that first half of the season, carrying on in the FA Cup is ideal. It's an opportunity to reward the fans for their loyalty over the past few years.

"It's not a bad draw is it! You would expect us to put out a decent team for the chance of getting into the sixth round."

Listen to the full chat with Gabbiadini above or on on BBC Sounds here

Image source, Getty Images

The draw for the FA Cup fifth round has been made. Here is a list of all the ties in the order they were drawn.

• Fulham v Southampton

• Port Vale or Bristol City v Sunderland

• Newcastle United v Manchester City

• Leeds United v Norwich City

• Mansfield Town v Arsenal

• Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool

• Wrexham v Chelsea

• West Ham v Macclesfield or Brentford

The matches will be played over the weekend of 7 March.

Watch all the highlights and best video from this season's FA Cup

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland left-back Dennis Cirkin said Regis le Bris' side have ambitions of winning the FA Cup after reaching the fifth round.

The Black Cats are in the hat for Monday's draw after beating Championship side Oxford United 1-0 in the fourth round on Sunday.

"With the weather and everything, it was a proper Championship game, which I have missed," Cirkin told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"These cup games provide an opportunity for us. We want to get to the final and we want to win it."

Cirkin had only featured seven times this season before starting Sunday's game.

"I am happy to get the opportunities," he added. "I am staying confident and training really hard to get these opportunities."

"Quite a few of us are excited to play. I don't think you can underestimate the magic of the FA Cup."

Listen to the full interview with Cirkin below or on BBC Sounds here

Check out all Sunderland content on BBC Sounds

We asked for your views on Sunday's FA Cup fourth round win over Oxford United.

Here are some of your comments:

Wilf: A solid, professional performance despite many changes to team selection. If Sunderland had a proven goal merchant, the many chances created in the second half may have been converted into goals and with it a more convincing score line. A tricky match in awful conditions against a physically robust and competent Oxford side showed Sunderland have the mentality to win in difficult circumstances. Mundle and O'Nien were outstanding.

Stephen: We seem to struggle to get any momentum on wet pitches and pouring rain. It was never going to be a classic game of football but we did enough to win.

Dave: Solid and uneventful. We dominated the play away from home against an Oxford side that looked low on confidence and even lower on quality so the result is no shock. It's a one to forget but we're in the hat and can get back to league action.

Andrew: Comfortable second half and a comfortable win overall. Good minutes for Cirkin and O'Nien who played particularly well. Lack of open play goals remains a worry but at the back we remain solid. Liked the directness of the new winger.

Lee: Nice to win but the lack of a goal in open play again is a worry.

Image source, Getty Images

The 2025-26 FA Cup fifth-round draw will take place on Monday, 16 February at about 18:35 GMT.

It will be done before the fourth-round tie between Macclesfield Town - the lowest-ranked team left in the competition - and Brentford, with former England internationals Joe Cole and Karen Carney conducting the draw on TNT Sports.

Supporters can also follow the draw on the BBC Sport website and app.

All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 7 March.

Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra time, and if necessary, a penalty shootout.

What are the ball numbers?

1. Liverpool

2. Fulham

3. Sunderland

4. Southampton

5. Wrexham

6. Arsenal

7. Chelsea

8. West Ham United

9. Mansfield Town

10. Norwich City

11. Port Vale or Bristol City

12. Wolverhampton Wanderers

13. Newcastle United

14. Manchester City

15. Macclesfield or Brentford

16. Leeds United

Jason Mohammed is joined by Paul Robinson and Leon Osman to bring all you the action and talking points from Sunday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Grimsby Town 0-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

• Birmingham City 1-1 Leeds United

• Oxford United 0-1 Sunderland

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris, speaking post-match: "No easy games. Oxford last season we struggled against them. Job done, good team spirit.

"Oxford went direct, second ball game which is always difficult to manage. When you find the opporutnity to score you do it and that is what we did. Oxford fought until the end, set-pieces and long throws we knew they were efficient."

On penalty decision: "You have to trust the referee otherwise you can't move forward. He did well, it was not an easy game to referee. It was balanced.

"We enjoy every game - Premier League or FA Cup. We try to do our best, it was enough today and we move forward."

Hear more from Le Bris below or on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• Sunderland have lost just one of their last 16 games against Oxford United across all competitions (W8 D7), a run which has now seen the Black Cats concede one or fewer goals on 15 occasions.

• Sunderland have now progressed from four of their last five FA Cup fourth round ties since 2012, as many times as across their prior 18 attempts combined between 1979 and 2010.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Sunderland's performance

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Image source, BBC Sport

There are eight changes for Oxford United as Matt Ingram, Will Vaulks, Brodie Spencer, Stanley Mills, Jack Currie, Will Lankshear, Jin Woo-jeon and Jamie Donley all start.

Oxford United XI: Ingram, Brown, Vaulks, Brannagan, Spencer, Mills, Currie, Lankshear, Jeon, Donley, Makosso

Subs: Cumming, Long, Konak, Placheta, Harris, Emakhu, Romeny, Roosken, McDonnell

Sunderland, meanwhile, make six changes.

Luke O'Nien, Dennis Cirkin, Lutsharel Geertruida, Romain Mundle, Chemsdine Talbi and Wilson Isidor all start.

Sunderland XI: Roefs, Hume, O'Nien, Mukiele, Cirkin, Geertruida, Diarra, Le Fée, Talbi, Mundle, Isidor

Subs: Ellborg, Whittaker, J. Jones, Mayenda, Rigg, Angulo, Sadiki, Brobbey, Ta Bi

Image source, BBC Sport

There are five ties in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Birmingham v Leeds (12:00) - BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio WM & BBC Radio Leeds

• Grimsby v Wolves (13:30) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, BBC Radio Humberside & BBC Radio WM

• Oxford United v Sunderland - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3, BBC Radio Oxford & BBC Radio Newcastle

• Stoke v Fulham - BBC Radio Stoke

• Arsenal v Wigan (16:30) - BBC Radio Manchester

Kick-off times 14:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Birmingham v Leeds" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Oxford United v Sunderland", for instance.

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