Penalty seals Sunderland 1-0 win over Chelsea as Xabi Alonso tinkers again and Blues lose to Black Cats
Brobbey wins decisive penalty
Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey earned a penalty in the 36th minute after Levi Colwill brought him down. Enzo Le Fee scored from the spot, and the penalty proved to be the match’s only goal.
Alonso said Brobbey could have been stopped, but Chelsea needed to defend the situation better. He said he was unhappy with the defending and described conceding penalties as bad for the team.
Chelsea changes draw scrutiny
Chelsea have recorded five wins, four defeats and one draw in 10 Premier League matches under Alonso. His repeated adjustments to the formation and personnel have prompted comparisons with Claudio Ranieri, whose “Tinkerman” nickname became associated with his time at Stamford Bridge in 2002-03.
Chelsea created few clear opportunities against Sunderland. Morgan Rogers missed a headed chance, while Cole Palmer also struggled after being omitted from England’s squad.
Possession without clear openings
Chelsea had 68.7% of possession at Sunderland, after averaging 46% before the match, but did little with much of the ball. They have created 24 chances in the Premier League this season; only Tottenham, with 28, have made more.
Chelsea’s positive early-season results came despite their difficulty keeping clean sheets against top-flight opponents. Their first such clean sheet under Alonso came in his eighth game in charge.
Injuries and season outlook
Alonso pointed to missing players as one factor affecting the side. Joao Pedro had played in wins over Bournemouth and Everton before suffering a thigh injury, and had already missed Brazil’s international matches.
Chelsea are fifth and have earned five more points than from the equivalent fixtures last season, leaving them on course for Champions League qualification. Still, Alonso has yet to establish a consistent identity, although he said last week that Chelsea would be “different” and “better” by season’s end.
Key points
- Enzo Le Fee scored Sunderland’s winner from a penalty in the 36th minute.
- Chelsea held 68.7% possession but created few significant chances.
- Alonso’s record at Chelsea stands at five wins, four losses and one draw in 10 league games.
- Chelsea are fifth and have five more points than at this stage last season.