Much has been made of the impact the Africa Cup of Nations could have on Sunderland’s fortunes over the next few weeks. Yet much like their impressive adaptation to life in the Premier League, Régis Le Bris’s side seem to take it all in their stride.
Without four of those who helped them record a famous derby victory over Newcastle last weekend, owing to the international tournament, Sunderland showed their fighting qualities with a gritty defensive display against a misfiring Brighton team who have lost their way in recent weeks.
While Fabian Hürzeler’s side have now failed to win any of their last four matches after knocking on the door of the top five a few weeks ago, incredibly, Sunderland find themselves in genuine contention for Champions League qualification with almost half the season gone. It was no wonder that many of the travelling supporters wearing Santa hats emblazoned with the face of Le Bris, who had made the 700-mile round trip to the south coast, could barely contain themselves at full time.
Brighton had their chances to seal victory late on but this was another extremely frustrating afternoon for Hürzeler and there was a smattering of boos at the final whistle. Already without suspended captain, Lewis Dunk, and the influential Cameroon midfielder Carlos Baleba after his departure to Morocco this week, his plans were further disrupted when Jan Paul van Hecke was ruled out through illness. It meant Brighton fielded a brand new central defensive partnership made up of summer signings Olivier Boscagli and Diego Coppola, while Danny Welbeck was also absent against the club where he spent a season on loan in 2008, owing to a back injury.
