Sunderland AFC's points tally right now compared to 2022/23 under Tony Mowbray | OneFootball

FLW compares the records of Regis Le Bris and Tony Mowbray after 30 league games.

Tony Mowbray led Sunderland to their highest league finish since being relegated from the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign, but Regis Le Bris will hope that he can better it this season.

Sunderland appointed Mowbray in August 2022 to replace Alex Neil, after the Scotsman had left to join Stoke City following the Black Cats' promotion from League One the previous season.

The current West Bromwich Albion head coach led Sunderland to a sixth-place finish in the Championship during the 2022/23 season, before beating Luton Town in the first-leg of the play-off semi-final at the Stadium of Light, but unfortunately the Hatters turned the tie around in the second-leg at Kenilworth Road and went on to win promotion to the Premier League.

A nine-game unbeaten run at the end of the season, during which on-loan Manchester United winger Amad Diallo scored five goals, was enough for Sunderland to earn a place in the play-offs, and while things didn't turn out as the supporters would have hoped, it was a great season considering the club had only just returned to the second tier.

The likes of Ellis Simms, Jack Clarke and Diallo starred for the Black Cats over the course of that campaign, but did the club have a better record than they currently have under Regis Le Bris after 30 league games?

Tony Mowbray's 2022/23 record compared to Regis Le Bris' 2024/25 record

Sunderland only finished inside the play-off places on goal difference after a 3-0 win away at Preston North End on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign, even after having put together an impressive unbeaten run at the end of the season.

This time around, under Le Bris, the Black Cats are in the hunt for automatic promotion, so it will not come as a huge surprise that their current record after 30 games is better than the one they had under Mowbray two years ago.

In fact, Sunderland only need four wins from their next 16 games to beat the points tally they had at the end of the 2022/23 season.

After 30 league games in 2023, Sunderland had won 12, drawn nine and lost nine of their Championship fixtures, and found themselves just outside the play-off places in seventh.

This season, they have won 16, drawn 10 and lost just four of their 30 league games under Le Bris, leaving them just a few points adrift of the sides in the top-two.

Sunderland will hope they can make the most of their good record

Despite having enjoyed an impressive season under Mowbray during the 2022/23 campaign, Sunderland will be desperate to go one better and achieve promotion this time around, given the position that they have put themselves in.

Their 3-2 victory away at Middlesbrough on Tuesday night will have given the players even more confidence going into the final few months of the season, with the performance of new signing Enzo Le Fee suggesting that he could make a similar impact to the one Amad Diallo had during his loan spell on Wearside.

The deadline day loan acquisition of Liverpool striker Jayden Danns is another cause for optimism going into the remainder of the season, with Regis Le Bris' squad now looking suitably prepared for the promotion race that lies ahead.

While Sunderland's current record is better than it was in 2023, there is still every chance that they find themselves in the play-offs once again, but even if that does turn out to be the case, they will hope the extra quality they have shown this season can result in a long-awaited return to the top-flight.