Regis Le Bris praised the energy and ambition of his Sunderland team after a 1-0 victory away at Oxford United booked their place in the FA Cup fifth round. A first-half penalty from Habib Diarra proved decisive at the Kassam Stadium, though the Premier League side failed to add a second despite a flurry of chances after the break.
The visitors were perhaps fortunate to be awarded the spot-kick in the 32nd minute, when Dennis Cirkin went down under a challenge from Christ Makosso. In the absence of VAR, the referee stood by his decision, much to the dismay of the home supporters.
Le Bris acknowledged the difficulty of the fixture, noting that Sunderland had lost 2-0 at Oxford in the Championship last season. 'We expected a tough game,' he said. 'We struggled a bit during the first half, but it was better during the second. During the second half the game is always more open, but we didn't score the second goal.'
The Sunderland manager opted for a strong lineup, citing the team's comfortable mid-table position in the Premier League. 'We went strong, with a good energy, with ambition,' he said. 'We'll see for the next round.' On the penalty decision, he added: 'I didn't review the situation. We need to trust the referee.'
Oxford boss Matt Bloomfield was less impressed, lamenting a run of poor officiating decisions. 'We're not getting any decisions at the minute,' he said. 'That's factual.' His side, currently 23rd in the Championship and five points from safety, now face a battle to avoid relegation.
