Régis Le Bris under pressure after Sunderland's loss to Dinamo Zagreb

Régis Le Bris has gone into the week describing this season as probably the most demanding challenge in Sunderland's history, and Sunderland's 0-2 home defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League has only made that line feel more pointed. Sunderland left the Sunderland vs Dinamo Zagreb match bottom of the Premier League with 5 points after 9 matches, so the frustration is not limited to one competition.

Le Bris's remarks and the mood at the Stadium of Light

The pressure around the manager is being driven by results as much as by the atmosphere. Sunderland are 20th in the Premier League, and their 1-2-6 record leaves little room for another flat spell. Their recent league form has also been poor, with only one win, two draws and six defeats.

Le Bris also told Sky Sports that Sunderland have been "too exposed and leaky in defence". That fits the latest setback in Europe, where Luka Stojković scored in the 22nd minute and assisted Dion Drena Beljo in the 39th minute for Dinamo. Sunderland had an early Wilson Isidor goal ruled out for offside by VAR in the 47th minute, but they never recovered control of the game.

Chelsea and the pressure point

There is no confirmed dismissal story here, and the gap between a bad run and a final decision still matters. Even so, the mood is harsher than it was a few weeks ago, and Chelsea are next at the Stadium of Light this weekend.

Sunderland remain 11th in the Europa League with 7 points from 4 matches, so the continental campaign is still alive. The league problem is the bigger threat, and another poor home result against Chelsea would only turn the conversation up further.