LIFE STILL BEGINS AT 40 FOR LE BRIS

Defeat shows why Black Cats set a high bar for survival

- BY STEVE JUDGE

REGIS LE BRIS still believes 40 points is the magic mark for Premier League survival, despite no team needing that total for 15 years.

You have to go back to the 2010-11 season for the last time it happened, when Wolves pipped Birmingham City by a point.

In the past two seasons 26 and 27 points would have been enough to finish 17th.

But the Sunderland boss knows full well that in those seasons it was the promoted sides who went straight back down - and that the bar is set much higher when it comes to finishing above established topflight sides.

Le Bris is not taking anything for granted, despite Sunderland's strong return of 19 points from their opening 12 games back in the top flight.