In different circumstances the boos when the full-time whistle arrived and Stamford Bridge digested another stumble from Chelsea on home soil would have been the story of the day. It would have been about Enzo Maresca’s shortcomings against a low block, the creative deficit caused by Cole Palmer’s absence and the inconsistencies preventing the youngest team in the Premier League from muscling their way into the title race.
Victory would have lifted Chelsea two points off top spot before Arsenal host Crystal Palace on Sunday. Victory, though, was never within their grasp. Sunderland, again showing why they are such a fine addition to the Premier League, never allowed the world champions to assume control.
The day belonged to Régis Le Bris and his magnificent team, who finished the day in second thanks to Liverpool’s defeat at Brentford. Sunderland, who have made the best start to a season by a promoted side since 2008, were superb. This was their best result since coming up and nobody could argue that it was undeserved, even if it was not until the 93rd minute that the Sunderland substitute Chemsdine Talbi scored the decisive goal.
Chelsea were stunned. They were in front after four minutes, Alejandro Garnacho scoring his first goal for the club, but this was a blunt performance. Chelsea created few clear openings and were ruffled in defence. They were pegged back when Wilson Isidor scored from a long throw and were beaten when a Sunderland counterattack finished with Brian Brobbey, another substitute, laying the ball off for Talbi to guide a composed finish beyond Robert Sánchez from the edge of the area.
Sunderland, who look sure to end the trend of all the promoted sides going down, were competitive from the start. They were energetic, organised at the back and aided by the flexibility of their 5-4-1 system. Chelsea, who have dropped eight points at home this season, never solved the tactical conundrum. They did not move the ball with enough intensity. Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo are two of the best midfielders in the league but they were matched by Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki. João Pedro, operating at No 10 while Chelsea wait for Palmer’s groin to heal, has not scored since August and was poor. Marc Guiu was ineffective on his first league start since joining from Barcelona last year.
Dan Ballard and Lutsharel Geertruida shackled the 19-year-old forward, who was recalled from a brief loan spell at Sunderland after Chelsea lost Liam Delap to injury and loaned Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich at the end of the transfer window. The game was played on Sunderland’s terms. They had Chelsea lifting aimless crosses into the area long before half-time.
“We were not good enough,” Maresca said. “We didn’t create a lot apart from the goal. We struggled. We need our players to perform 100%.” It had seemed that Sunderland were in for a long afternoon when Chelsea’s wingers combined in the fourth minute. Pedro Neto launched a counterattack and found Garnacho on the left. The former Manchester United winger drove at Nordi Mukiele before slamming a low shot through Robin Roefs.
Sunderland stirred. Maresca, immune to the charms of English football’s new embrace of getting it launched, looked on in frustration as his defence failed to deal with a long throw from Mukiele in the 22nd minute. A mess ensued. It was 1-1 when Wilson Isidor, played onside by Josh Acheampong, turned in a shot by Bertrand Traoré.
Isidor was a handful in attack for Sunderland. Chelsea drifted into sterile domination, Garnacho fading before making way for Estêvão Willian early in the second half. Guiu tired badly.
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• Sunderland’s 17 points from their opening nine Premier League games is the best return by a promoted club at this stage since Hull City in 2008-09 (20).
• After Wilson Isidor’s equaliser (above), Sunderland have had six goals scored by French players in the Premier League this season (Isidor x 4, Le Fée x 1, Mukiele x 1). Excluding own goals, only Manchester City have had more scored from a specific nation this term (Norway, Haaland, x 11).
Sunderland’s commitment was ferocious. Reinildo Mandava, back from suspension, was exceptional at left wing-back and Le Bris freshened his team up with smart changes. He got the better of Maresca, whose decision to introduce the height of Tosin Adarabioyo after Brobbey came on did not work.
The game was decided when Geertruida stepped forward and played a long ball to Brobbey. The striker held off Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah, waited for support and found it from Talbi, who surged forward to make it 2-1.
The challenge now for Sunderland will be keeping expectations realistic. Le Bris said the target is still to hit 40 points but his team are in the Champions League places. This is no relegation battle.
