Story by
Nordi Mukiele Says Sunderland Became Arrogant After Fourth Straight Premier League Loss
- Story by
- Nordi Mukiele Says Sunderland Became Arrogant After Fourth Straight Premier League Loss
-
Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele told Sky Sports the team are "not good enough" and suggested they "became arrogant" after a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth.
-
The loss was Sunderland's fourth in a row in the Premier League and leaves them second bottom with four points from seven games.
-
Head coach Regis le Bris said his side were "below the level" and called the display "not acceptable".
Mukiele Offers a Brutally Honest Verdict
Nordi Mukiele did not reach for the usual excuses. After Sunderland lost 2-0 at Bournemouth on Sunday, the defender gave Sky Sports a blunt assessment of a team that has fallen a long way from last season's high.
Advertisement
"We are not good enough," Mukiele said. He then asked himself why and could not give a clear answer. "Why? I don't know," he said, before offering a theory that only those inside the club can test: Sunderland, in his words, "became arrogant".
It was the fourth Premier League defeat in a row for the Black Cats, who sit second bottom of the table. They surprised the league last season by finishing high enough to qualify for the Europa League at the first attempt, eight years after they last played in the top flight.
Mukiele said the performance matched what he has seen from the start of the campaign. He also pointed at effort in training. "You cannot lie about football," he said, adding that he did not want to say the team did not want to win, but that "it didn't look like we want something".
Le Bris Calls It Painful and Unacceptable
Head coach Regis le Bris was less damning in his choice of words but just as disappointed. "We were below the level, it's really clear. It's hard to take, hard to digest," he told Sky Sports.
Advertisement
"It's very painful," Le Bris added, saying Sunderland "were not Sunderland" and that the display was "not acceptable".
He rejected the idea of hiding behind a heavy fixture list. "We won't find excuses," he said. "We have a busy schedule. We want to embrace the challenge, but the position at the minute is not good."
The Numbers Behind the Slide
The gap with last season is stark. After seven games a year ago, Sunderland had 11 points and sat ninth, with three wins, two draws and two defeats. They now have four points from one win, one draw and five defeats.
Advertisement
Bournemouth, who had not won a league game before Sunday, took the lead in the sixth minute through Marcus Tavernier. The build-up began with Evanilson bullying Kevin Danso, a summer loan signing from Tottenham Hotspur. Danso was sent off in the 17th minute for dragging down Evanilson when the striker was clear through on goal.
In the second half, a weak backpass from Omar Alderete to goalkeeper Robin Roefs handed Evanilson the chance to settle the game. According to Opta, no side in the Premier League has made more errors leading to goals this season than Sunderland, with five. Alderete is only the third player to make multiple such errors this season, alongside his teammate Danso and Hull's Konstantinos Tzolakis.
Sunderland have conceded 14 goals, which is more than double their total after seven games last season. Only Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town have let in more. At the other end they have scored six, and their three shots at Bournemouth, all off target, were the fewest by any team in a Premier League match this season.
The fixture list has been tough, with Manchester City, champions Arsenal and in-form Brighton all on it. In Europe, Sunderland have a 100% record after wins over AZ Alkmaar and Torreense, but they have lost both league games that followed their Europa League outings, one of them an eight-goal thriller against unbeaten league leaders Manchester City.
Advertisement
Shay Given Sees a Squad Stretched
Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given believes the squad might not be ready for the extra games. "They overachieved last season, getting into European competition," he said. "I don't know if the squad is ready for a challenge on all fronts. You need a bigger squad, a deeper squad, and it's going to be a big ask."
Sunderland spent £161m on 15 new players after promotion in the summer of 2025. This summer they spent about £60m on five recruits, and the main win was keeping captain Granit Xhaka and striker Brian Brobbey, who is currently out with a hamstring injury.
Given still sees a way out. He said the focus has to be on "the bread and butter in the Premier League", which he called "the most important thing", and he likes to think Le Bris will have enough to keep the club safe.
Advertisement
What Happens Next
Sunderland travel to Poland to face Lech Poznan in the Europa League on Thursday, with another Premier League test to follow. Mukiele insists the situation can be fixed with work. "It's just the beginning. Football is like this," he said. "You can accept and just stand up and go back to work."
He wants the team back where they were last season and admits that right now "this is not us". Whether the dressing room agrees with his diagnosis will show in the next few weeks.
