Sunderland defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge with Kemsudine Talbi’s 93rd-minute winner, moving them into second place in the Premier League.
It was a dream come true for Black Cats supporters. It saw Talbi come across a lay-off from fellow sub Brian Brobbey and calmly roll the ball into the bottom corner for a shock win. Sunderland’s bench emptied and the players excitedly rushed towards the away fans.
The rest of Stamford Bridge was stunned. Chelsea had won four games in a row and took the lead after just four minutes thanks to Alejandro Garnacho’s first goal for the club. However, Wilson Isidore scored the equalizer after Nordi Mukiele’s long throw caused chaos in the Chelsea box, and Sunderland frustrated the hosts from then on.
Garnacho found the side netting twice in the first 45 minutes, but goalkeeper Robin Rufus caught the angle and denied it. But substitute Estevao’s deflected shot was the perfect shot for an insensitive Chelsea side who dropped to seventh after the break.
Their young players may have outscored 10-man Ajax by five points in the Champions League in midweek, but they were unable to pick a breakthrough here. And then there was the final sting, with Talbi providing a precious moment for Sunderland and their supporters, who were once again enjoying the thrill of first-class football.
Chelsea are seriously missing a number 9
Peter Smith of Sky Sports:
Marc Giu was one of three teenagers to score in Wednesday’s Champions League game against Ajax, giving him the chance to impress in his first Premier League start for Chelsea against the team he spent a short loan spell with earlier this season.
However, based on this evidence, Liam Delap’s pending return from injury is unlikely to come soon enough. The Englishman could feature in the Carabao Cup game in midweek, and Chelsea really need a central threat at this stage.
The creativity of the injured Cole Palmer was another big mistake for a Chelsea team that struggled to cut through Sunderland’s well-organized defence. This was evidenced by the expected goals figures, with Chelsea having 0.97 and Sunderland 1.16, despite the hosts having 69 per cent possession.
However, Giu was bullied by Dan Ballard, unable to find an angle to receive a pass from a teammate, and even when he received a pass, he was unable to maintain possession. After 76 minutes, he was sent off after just 10 touches.
Chelsea’s Marc Giu struggled against Sunderland’s Dan Ballard
Joao Pedro then moved up front, with sub Estevao in the number 10 position, but Chelsea still struggled to create meaningful moments. It was an afternoon that made me wonder why they were so eager to take down Nicholas Jackson in the summer.
Enzo Maresca memorably insisted on ignoring all the hype surrounding the team in the first half of last season. This performance was proof that no one should get carried away with the recent winning streak.
Le Bris: It’s important to seize opportunities whenever possible
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris:
“It was a good performance, especially after the early goal. We defended our goal by finding the right balance between the quality of the ball and defending high where possible, setting up deep blocks, being connected, strong and difficult to beat.”
“It’s important to take this chance when you can. They are talented enough to change the game and today they were able to do that and we played well to get the three points.”
About Granit Xhaka: “Xhaka is the captain and sets the standards every day. On the pitch he is a really good footballer and enjoys leading the team. On the pitch he is like a second coach.”
Maresca: “We weren’t good enough, but Sunderland’s winners were ‘easy’ to defend”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca:
“Overall, we didn’t perform well enough. We know that if you don’t perform well in the Premier League, there can be negative consequences.
“I’ve said it many times, when you can’t win, it’s important not to lose. It’s not in transition, because in transition you’re open or 1-on-0 and there’s just one long ball behind you. We were 2-on-1 with two central defenders. We didn’t defend properly.”
“The first goal came from a throw-in. But they bring six, seven, eight players into the six-yard box, so it’s difficult to deal with. It’s difficult.”
“But overall, I don’t think we did enough.”
On Sunderland’s winner: “We’re 2-1, so it can be an easy situation. The striker is facing goal, so it’s an easy situation to defend. But it was probably the 92nd or 93rd minute, so we tried to do a little bit, but in that case, for sure, we have to be better.”
Merson: There is no chance of Sunderland being relegated. Chelsea has run out of ideas
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Paul Merson talks about Chelsea’s inconsistent performance in the Premier League loss to Sunderland as a ‘very young team’
Sky Sports’ Paul Merson talks about Saturday’s football:
“Sunderland are great on the counter-attack. They defend well and their goalkeeping is good. They have legs all over the pitch. I don’t remember Chelsea’s goalkeeper making any saves in the second half.”
“They were outstanding. There is no chance they will be relegated. They will cause problems for the team.
“Chelsea ran out of ideas. They had winger after winger and half of them couldn’t get past anyone. Pedro looked lost as a number 10. They struggled and were pretty poor.”
