Analysis: Mukiele a star of Sunderland's strong start

Football writer Adrian Clarke identifies the key players, team tactics and where matches could be won and lost in Matchweek 6.

Player analysis: Nordi Mukiele (Sunderland) 

Sunderland head to Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening currently seventh in the table, with only one defeat across their opening five matches, making them one of the stories of the season so far.

Defender Mukiele, one of 12 new faces to join the Black Cats this summer, has been outstanding since signing from Paris Saint-Germain.

How has Mukiele caught the eye?

Mukiele has adapted to Premier League football in an impressive manner, displaying strength, athleticism and confidence. 

The 27-year-old has produced three imperious performances in succession, shining as a right-sided centre-back in place of the injured Dan Ballard, helping Sunderland collect five points from those matches.

Stepping in for Ballard, a talismanic figure during Sunderland’s promotion campaign, immediately put Mukiele under a spotlight, but he has handled the pressure with ease.

He has shown great physicality up against opposition forwards, winning two-thirds of his aerial duels, 73.3 per cent of ground duels, and 80 per cent of his tackles.

This brilliant recovery run and last-man tackle, to prevent Donyell Malen scoring from a 1v1 against Aston Villa last weekend, also showcased an impressive turn of speed.

Mukiele stepped up to make an impressive 12 clearances too, for a Sunderland side reduced to 10 men after 33 minutes following Reinildo Mandava's red card in that 1-1 draw.

It is one of his fortes.

As shown in the table below, he also leads the way among top-flight defenders for successful tackles.

How Mukiele's defensive stats rank 25/26

Mukiele is forceful in his approach, following attackers tightly where possible, and lets opposition strikers know he is there.

He is positionally sound, but also excellent at attacking the ball, and is averaging more clearances than any other Premier League defender, edging Virgil van Dijk into second place.

What’s Mukiele’s background?

Mukiele may not be a familiar name to many Premier League followers, but he is a player of pedigree, boasting stacks of top-class experience.

The last three clubs he represented before joining Sunderland were RB Leipzig, PSG and Bayer Leverkusen, so it is clear Sunderland pulled off a relatively low-cost coup in attracting him to the Stadium of Light.

Mukiele was trusted by Ralf Rangnick, Julian Nagelsmann, Jesse Marsch and Domenico Tedesco during his time at RB Leipzig.

There he established himself as a regular at right-back, centre-back or sometimes as a right wing-back too.

Mukiele also proved to be a versatile performer following his move to PSG in July 2022, making 45 appearances in two years in various roles across the back four.

He was in and out of Xabi Alonso’s starting XI during a loan spell at Bayer Leverkusen last season, where playing as both a centre-back and a wing-back.

Where will he play against Nottingham Forest?

Left-back Reinildo’s red card against Villa leaves Regis Le Bris with a selection headache for their visit to Forest.

When they went down to 10 men last Sunday, Le Bris brought on fit-again Ballard for midfielder Chris Rigg, switching to a back three and moving Mukiele to the right of that defensive line.

It worked well, so does the Sunderland head coach persist with a three-man defence at Forest?

It feels unlikely.

His favoured shape is 4-3-3, and tellingly, as soon as Sunderland equalised against Villa he brought on Arthur Masuaku to play at left-back in a four.

In a testing away fixture such as this, Le Bris is perhaps more likely to start Masuaku on the left and move the undroppable Mukiele to right-back at the expense of Trai Hume.

It would be harsh on the 23-year-old Hume, who has been ever-present so far, but that call would facilitate Ballard’s return, and as shown in the earlier graphic, 60 per cent of Mukiele’s appearances since 2018 have been at right-back.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that Mukiele starts at left-back either.

Long throws are a weapon

As is the trend this season, Sunderland like to launch a long throw inside the final third and Mukiele is their No 1 choice to hurl balls into the box.

It is a weapon that carries a threat and he has unsettled opponents.

This long throw (below) from Mukiele created a chance in Sunderland’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace.

With very few attackers to aim for, he accurately launched the ball towards Wilson Isidor at the near post, who almost scored with a first-time volley that he put just wide.

Ange Postecoglou’s side must ready themselves for these kinds of deliveries.

Can Sunderland keep their run going?

The next three away matches at Forest, Manchester United and Chelsea, will be a test of Sunderland’s credentials.

They have failed to score in both of their two road trips so far, at Burnley and Crystal Palace.

Le Bris’ side did not register a single shot on target at Selhurst Park and mustered only one against Burnley too.

So, finding a way to carry more attacking menace is going to be crucial to their chances of picking up points in that trio of matches.

When you study Sunderland’s non-penalty goals v Expected Goals (xG) record (home and away) it also shows they are currently outperforming their own XG.

Sunderland will know that work is needed to improve their attacking play if they are to maintain their fine start.

Sunderland’s non-penalty goals stats 25/26

Out of possession they have been well-drilled, compact and difficult to play against, so Le Bris should take credit for that aspect of his coaching.

With so many new faces in his team, that is a hugely positive achievement.

Only six sides have faced fewer shots than the 52 of Sunderland, a figure which puts them level with FIFA Club World Cup winners Chelsea.

Mukiele and the players around him can be proud of their defensive efforts in the early part of 2025/26.