Sunderland sit 14th in the Premier League after five matches, with one win, one draw and three defeats, but Brian Brobbey insists the team’s performances will eventually deliver the results they feel they deserve. The Dutch striker’s message comes after a remarkable hat-trick in a 5-3 defeat at Manchester City, his first goals of the season and the first Premier League treble by a Sunderland player since Jermain Defoe in 2016.
Brobbey scored in the 12th, 33rd and 59th minutes as Sunderland twice equalised and then pulled back to 4-3 before Erling Haaland’s 81st-minute goal settled the contest. Manager Régis Le Bris praised Brobbey’s breakthrough, saying it had been “never easy to have a long period without scoring” and that he was “really pleased for him”. Le Bris also highlighted that Sunderland “didn’t compromise our identity” and were proud to play their football against one of Europe’s best sides.
The Sunderland striker’s form had already been improving before the City game. He featured in the 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal, a performance that earned public praise from Mikel Arteta, and he played in Sunderland’s Europa League win over AZ Alkmaar. Brobbey has stressed that the squad must stay united during the three-week international break and trust that their level of play will bring points when the league resumes.
Off the pitch, the club has strongly condemned racist online abuse directed at Brobbey following the 1-0 victory over Tottenham. Sunderland reported the messages to the Premier League, social media platforms and police, and noted that teammates Romaine Mundle and Lutsharel Geertruida have also been targeted in recent weeks. The statement underlined that such behaviour is unacceptable and that the club will continue to support affected players.
With the next league match not until 10 October, when Sunderland host Brighton, Le Bris and his staff have time to review a start that has combined promising attacking football with costly defensive errors. Brobbey’s sudden goalscoring burst gives them a clear focal point, and his public call for unity reflects a dressing room that believes it is closer to the table’s upper half than the bottom three.
