Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka was at the heart of his team’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Saturday, earning high praise from head coach Regis Le Bris.
The Swiss midfielder, who joined Sunderland prior to the start of the season for 17.3 million pounds, was described by Le Bris as “like a second coach on the pitch,” setting standards for the squad and guiding younger players.
“It’s vital, crucial because the balance is really positive, and Granit is the captain, so he sets the standards every day,” Le Bris said. “On the pitch, he’s a really good footballer and enjoys driving the behaviour of the squad. He’s very well connected with the young lads as well.”
Xhaka’s influence was clear throughout the match, dominating midfield battles, completing four accurate tackles, and winning six of seven duels.
Sunderland secured the win in stoppage time through substitute Chemsdine Talbi, after Chelsea had taken an early lead through Alejandro Garnacho and Wilson Isidor equalized in the 22nd minute. The victory moves the newly-promoted club to second in the Premier League with 17 points from nine games – the best start by a promoted side since Hull City in 2008-09.
Despite the strong start, Le Bris stressed the club’s main goal remains avoiding relegation.
“Our target is still to reach 40 points,” he said. With Xhaka leading both on and off the pitch, Sunderland’s young squad appears well-equipped to learn from every challenge in the top flight.
