Sunderland, Granit Xhaka: It's not the time to speak, we should all look ourselves in the mirror after Brentford game

Exclusive by Football Reporter at Gtech Community Stadium

Granit Xhaka was far from impressed with  Sunderland's showing in their 3-0 trashing by Brentford.

More than the defeat itself it was the manner of their slow degradation and overall attitude that irked the legendary Swiss.

At 1-0 down following Igor Thiago's opener, French magician Enzo Le Fée missed a crucial penalty that could have killed Brentford's momentum and sowed the seeds for the Black Cats' turnaround.

But club captain Xhaka refused to pick on the ex-Roma man.

The Arsenal legend exclusively told Capital Football: "It's easy to say that if the game penalty goes in, the game [would have] changed.

"We were still in the game but didn't deserve anything.

"Not only in the first-half [but] for 90 minutes we were not on the right level.

"In the Premier League if you perform like this you have no chance."

Asked if he offered some encouragement to his younger teammates after the game, the 33-year old veteran said: "It's no time to speak!

"If you want to speak you need to speak on the pitch, not outside.

"Everyone needs to look after himself in the mirror [and analyze] what was good, what was not good, keep going and forget the game."

Yet all is not lost for 10th-place Sunderland who have exceeded expectations following their promotion to the Premier League.

Manager Régis le Bris' side are only three points behind the Bees in fifth and in with a shout of the Champions League after upsetting the odds more than once.

Xhaka added: "If our target is Europe? Let's see after 38 games."