Sunderland: Alan Browne blow revealed following Sheffield Wednesday drubbing | OneFootball

The ex-Preston midfielder wasn't even missed by his teammates this weekend because of how good they were.

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has revealed that new signing Alan Browne missed Sunday's game against Sheffield Wednesday with a calf problem - but praised Chris Rigg who stepped in and took his place well in the 4-0 win.

The Black Cats are really starting to make a habit of this thumping teams that are on the up at home thing, aren't they? Southampton last season and Wednesday this time round - it's a good habit to have.

Once Sunderland took the lead against the Owls, there was no looking back.

They never really looked in too much real danger and continued to add to their tally over the course of the first half before Eliezer Mayenda rounded off the match following the interval. Le Bris really couldn't have scripted a much better first league game at the Stadium of Light.

They were so good, in fact, that the absence of one of their premier summer signings wasn't even noticeable thanks to the likes of Rigg, Dan Neil and Jobe Bellingham.

Regis Le Bris explains Alan Browne absence from Sunderland 4-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Le Bris revealed that Browne had an issue with his calf that kept him from being involved on Sunday.

He'd started in the side's 2-0 win over Cardiff City last weekend, but Le Bris doesn't expect the Irishman to be out for very long, describing the injury as "not serious," as per the Sunderland Echo.

Rigg, 17, took the wise midfielder's spot in the Sunderland starting XI and put on an electric performance in front of his adoring home supporters, who gave him a standing ovation when he was replaced by Adil Aouchiche in the 78th minute.

"Chris was good," said Le Bris.

"It's another example of the possibility of the team to have other players who are able to play and when the opportunity arrives they are ready to start."

The teenager's display at the weekend now gives the head coach a tough choice to make, but one that he is happy to have.

"It's a good question for a coach when we have many players able to play.

"If the competition is high in the team they will push together and the training sessions will be better, the solutions on the bench will be better and it's good for a long marathon like this league. We need this kind of problem as a coach, it's not a problem for me.

"I was very impressed in this game [with the midfield three]. We will have other problems later but these three players are very complementary with their power, technique and IQ.

"There's a good balance. I repeat, that was this game and there will be other problems. But we know we need to keep improving."

Sunderland start as they mean to go on in Championship action

The huge drop-off in levels last season appears to be the aberration and not the play-off campaign, at least initially.

The way Sunderland ended last time out, slowly drifting down the table into irrelevance, masked the quality of this team in many people's minds.

You look at the starting 11 that was put out against Wednesday and, other than up top, there isn't any glaring area that they are lacking in - even with injuries to the likes of Browne and Dan Ballard.