Sunderland's three debutants make positive starts in defeat

Sunderland fell to another defeat in their latest preseason friendly against Real Betis, but it was clear speaking to Régis Le Bris after the game that this for him represented a step forward.

- by Phil Smith

And it wasn't difficult to see why. Sunderland had played well for large spells, punished for one lapse of concentration at a corner.

Though they created few clear chances, Le Bris noted that they regularly got into the final third and just lacked that little bit of quality at the crucial moment.

He remains confident that sharpness and conviction will come with more minutes.

Le Bris will likely name three debutants in the starting XI on the opening day against West Ham United, and on this evidence it was easy to see why.

Robin Roefs was the quieter of the trio, which reflected well on Sunderland's performance generally.