Sunderland 1-0 Chelsea: Blues drop points as Le Fee's penalty lifts Black Cats off bottom of table

Chelsea put in a tepid performance as Sunderland lifted themselves off the bottom of the Premier League table with a 1-0 win that eases the pressure on under-fire manager Regis Le Bris.

Match Report 

The Black Cats handed Chelsea their fourth defeat in 10 top-flight matches under Xabi Alonso and moved off the foot of the table in the process.

Despite losing Granit Xhaka to injury in the fourth minute, Sunderland were dominant in the opening period as Brian Brobbey bullied Levi Colwill but came up short in front of goal – he sent a volley wide from inside the six-yard box and missed the target after a brilliant counter-attacking run.

After Cole Palmer was denied a penalty, Morgan Rogers headed Chelsea's best chance wide and they were made to pay when Le Fee swept home a penalty after Brobbey again got the better of Colwill and drew a foul inside the box.  

Alonso replaced Colwill with Estevao for the second half but, despite enjoying more of the possession, the Blues still struggled to create anything of note.

Substitute Danny Welbeck missed the target in the 65th minute – Chelsea's first attempt on goal in the second period – and the visitors would have been two down had Mike Penders not rushed out quickly to deny Wilson Isidor in a one-on-one situation.

Geovany Quenda drilled narrowly wide and Welbeck sent another header over in stoppage time as Chelsea dropped to fifth.

Blues a bust in front of goal

Chelsea ultimately paid the price for a lack of ingenuity.

While they may point to Palmer not being awarded a penalty when he went down on the edge of the box under pressure from Jules Ahoka and Luke O'Nien, they simply never got going.

The Blues attempted 648 passes – their highest total in a single Premier League match this season – but only created chances worth 0.53 expected goals (xG) across the full 90 minutes.

Chelsea's first shot on target did not arrive until the 45th minute, and even then it was a routine save for Robin Roefs.

The introduction of Estevao appeared to inject a bit of energy, but it was Sunderland who looked more like scoring in the second half with Isidor and Talbi both going close.

Alonso will have plenty of time to dwell on the result over the international break but will expect significant improvement as meetings with Leeds United, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace give them a chance to return to form before matches with Liverpool and Manchester City.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

4' Under 4 minutes, Xhaka hurt, subbed off

13' Hume shoots in box, Chavarría blocks

15' Talabi cross from left, Brobby volley wide

23' Palmer down in box, no penalty given

25' Palestra cross, Rogers heads just wide

29' Brobbey turns Fofana, shoots wide from tight angle

36' Penalty Goal! Colwill gives away pen, Le Fée converts. Sunderland 1-0 Chelsea

Line-ups

Sunderland XI: Meunier, Xhaka, Mandava, Luke O'Nien, Mukiele, Enzo Le Fée, Brian Brobbey, Trai Hume, Robin Roefs, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi

Subs: Danso, Wilson Isidor, Melker Ellborg, Malick Fofana, Nilson Angulo, Chris Rigg, Timur Tuterov, Dayann Méthalie, Jules Ahoka

Chelsea XI: Henderson, Pedro Neto, Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, Wesley Fofana, Pep Chavarría, Caicedo, Colwill, Lavia, Marco Palestra, Mike Penders

Subs: Welbeck, Gusto, Emmanuel Emegha, Valentín Barco, Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Estêvão, Aarón Anselmino, Geovany Quenda, Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli