Sunderland Lunchtime Round-Up, Thursday 22nd October 2026: Kevin Phillips Backs Le Bris as Black Cats Prepare for Lech Poznan Test

Attention turns to Poland this lunchtime, with Sunderland set to face Lech Poznan in the Europa League, and the Sunderland Echo carrying live team news and score updates from the game (Sunderland Echo). Chronicle Live suggests that if Sunderland can manage the balancing act between European football and the Premier League, there is a route for them to even outdo rivals Newcastle by going all the way in the competition (Chronicle Live).

Former striker Kevin Phillips has been giving his verdict on the club's recent dip in form. He voiced his support for head coach Regis Le Bris, describing him as 'brilliant' despite the tricky run of results (Sunderland Echo). Phillips also reacted to Nordi Mukiele's recent comments on Sunderland's struggles, calling the defender's assessment 'concerning' (Sunderland Echo).

Elsewhere, a former Sunderland player has looked at the attacking options available to Le Bris ahead of the Lech Poznan trip and the upcoming Premier League meeting with Leeds United, suggesting the Black Cats are 'short' in that key area of the squad (Sunderland Echo).

This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.