What Chris Rigg did after Regis Le Bris' Coventry decision that left Sunderland boss impressed

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has hailed Chris Rigg's response to being left out of the starting XI for the Black Cats' 2-1 win over Coventry City on Friday night.

The 17-year-old has been a mainstay in the Black Cats' line-up this season, making 43 appearances in the Championship this term, scoring four goals and notching one assist.

His fine form this season saw him awarded the Championship Apprentice of the Year for 2024/25, but Le Bris made the huge call to drop the youngster for the first leg away at the CBS Arena in favour of playing two up top.

That decision paid off with both Eliezer Mayenda and Wilson Isidor scoring for the Black Cats, while defender Chris Mepham was also dropped from the starting line-up. His replacement, Dan Ballard, was man-of-the-match as Le Bris' huge selection calls paid off.

“They were disappointed, for sure," Le Bris said when asked about Rigg and Mepham's response this week. "But at the same time, they reacted positively as a team-mate. They were really good, as expected. So far, in this group, that has been the case.

"For them, they were so well-connected with the squad before, and that is still the case. They share the ambition of the club and the team.

"We know that we can’t play with only 11 players, we need five subs available, maybe six if we have to go to extra-time. It’s important to have this full squad connected, even if you are disappointed because you are not in the starting line-up."

Both players came off the bench, but it was Rigg who helped swing the balance of the tie ever so slightly in Sunderland's favour, with the winning goal coming 11 minutes after his introduction.

Le Bris said: "He made a positive impact when he came on, and for the second leg, we will probably need our subs more than in the first leg. Chris Rigg was really impressive.

"His reaction after our conversation was impressive, and his reaction after he came off the bench was impressive. At this age, showing this maturity, is really important for the squad.

"It helps the output of the squad and the team. We need these three, four, five, maybe six subs to help the squad."