8.11.2026
Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea arrived at the Stadium of Light hoping to bolster their bid to qualify for the Champions League via a top four finish.
Instead, they departed red-faced after an embarrassing loss to third-bottom Sunderland, who celebrated a league victory for only the second time this season.
Fifth-placed Chelsea have already been beaten four times in 10 league matches under former Real Madrid boss Alonso.
Chelsea were rocked in the 36th minute when Enzo Le Fee converted a penalty after Brian Brobbey was up-ended by Levi Colwill.
“We were not creating enough chances in the final third against the low block. We were not controlling and sustaining the attack there,” Alonso said.
“You can do it, we spoke and worked. We didn’t do good enough, but we worked during the week to control their powers. For sure in a few situations, we didn’t do well.”
“Not much happened, to be honest. We didn’t produce enough to deserve to win.
‘We were against a low block we missed a bit of patience, a bit of quality, a bit of creativity on the last third to create more chances, you need to be more consistent to move the ball from one side to the other that we didn’t do good enough.”