Numbers and fitness are key to recruitment

SUNDERLAND'S IMPRESSIVE SQUAD REBUILD IS DOWN TO FOCUSED CRITERIA

- By CLIVE YOULTON

TARGETING players likely to be durable was key to Sunderland’s recruitment in the summer.

That’s according to head coach Regis Le Bris who has outlined players with a history of covering distances and staying fit was a priority in the summer.

Beating Chelsea was a highlight before Sunderland took points off Arsenal last weekend - when only Liverpool and Manchester City had achieved that this term.

Le Bris said: “Robustness is key in this league.

“You have to have a specific profile and we can now use data to profile the players.