Sunderland after five gameweeks
Sunderland finished seventh in 2025/26 and are in the Europa League, with Régis Le Bris still in charge. After five games they are fourteenth: a 2-1 defeat at Ipswich on the opening day, a 1-0 win over Fulham, 1-1 at Brentford, a 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal and a 5-3 loss at Manchester City. Six scored, ten conceded, one clean sheet.
Last season’s league position was built on a defence that has not reappeared, and the Thursday European games now add rotation risk. For FPL, Sunderland are a club for one or two cheap attacking picks rather than a defensive stack.
Le Fée is the pick while the top scorer is out
Brian Brobbey is Sunderland’s top FPL scorer with three goals from five starts, but a hamstring injury rules him out until around 25 October.
Enzo Le Fée is the player whose role matters most. Habib Diarra is first on penalties but out with a hamstring injury and no return date, which makes Le Fée — second in the order — the fit penalty taker, and he is first on corners too. Granit Xhaka has played every minute and is second on corners and free kicks; Nilson Angulo takes the direct free kicks.
Goalkeeper and defence
Robin Roefs has played every minute in goal, at under £5m. With one clean sheet in five and ten goals conceded, he is a cheap keeper who starts rather than a source of points. Daniel Ballard played every minute at centre-back but is now out with a hamstring injury and no return date.
Sunderland’s next five
After the international break Sunderland play Brighton (H), Bournemouth (A), Leeds (H), Coventry (A) and Chelsea (H). The FPL difficulty ratings put Coventry at 2 and Chelsea at 4, with the rest at 3, and Europa League games in between.
Le Fée is the Sunderland player to own through it, with Brobbey once his hamstring clears. The live table on this page carries each player’s price, ownership and flag.