Sunderland expose uninspiring Chelsea – and Premier League coasters like Fulham

Jason Soutar
Sunderland celebrate after beating Chelsea
Sunderland celebrate after beating Chelsea

Sunderland deserved their win at Chelsea on Saturday and the positive starts from all three promoted teams will finally ask questions of the Premier League’s coasters. There are question marks over Chelsea’s performance, but Sunderland’s performance and their position in the Premier League after nine games might be the bigger story.

Chelsea 1-2 Sunderland: Key details 👇

  • Alejandro Garnacho got Chelsea off to a flier before Wilson Isidor equaliser
  • Garnacho and Pedro Neto messed up decisive counter in 51st minute
  • Chemsdine Talbi snatched shock win for Sunderland
  • Black Cats second in the Premier League

It’s incredible what confidence can do for a player, and with Alejandro Garnacho officially Enjoying His Football Again, he is growing in the good stuff. Given an isolated one-on-one situation against Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele, he showed no hesitation when getting his head down, doing a stepover, shifting the ball onto his left foot, and smashing the ball through Robin Roefs. But Chelsea’s lead didn’t last long. It was scrappy, but it counted just as much as Garnacho’s goal. From a long throw-in, Isidor was able to poke one home from a yard out. Chelsea were on top for the last 10 minutes of the first half and Sunderland weathered the storm well after a largely competitive first 35. In the second half, it’s hard to argue that Sunderland weren’t the better side and ultimately deserved the three points. But Chelsea will look back on one huge moment in the 51st minute when Pedro Neto and Garnacho found themselves in a two-on-one counter-attacking situation. In a position to play the goalscorer through, Neto’s pass lacked conviction, and Sunderland got back into shape. After that, the Blues didn’t look confident and failed to create any big chances as Roefs mainly dealt with speculative efforts. Ultimately, Chelsea were caught out by the most direct of hoofs up the pitch as substitute Brian Brobbey held the ball up for what felt like an eternity, before laying the ball off to Talbi to stroke the ball into the bottom corner and send the brilliant traveling section into pure bedlam. There were question marks over Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah’s ‘defending’ as Brobbey was essentially unchallenged with his back to goal as he shielded the ball while waiting for support. Chelsea losing would naturally be the bigger story from this result, but Sunderland are now second(!) in the Premier League after their fifth win in nine games.

Another result to fear your Fulhams of the Premier League 👇

How well Sunderland played at Stamford Bridge served as another reminder to clubs like Fulham that they can’t afford to coast this season. After nine games, Fulham are still on single-figure points, while Newcastle United jumped from nine to 12 with their win over Marco Silva’s men. Burnley are the only promoted team worse off than Fulham and have as many wins (2) in the 2025/26 Premier League. And the Clarets have played eight games to their nine. Fulham are a weird team. They can give anyone a game on their day, but on another day, they are the easiest of teams to play against. They are so unpredictable. Or just inconsistent, you could say. But that unpredictability was acceptable when the three promoted teams were pathetically incompetent and guaranteed to go straight back down to the Championship. How poor Sheffield United, Luton Town, Burnley, and then Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton were meant teams like Fulham, Brentford and Crystal Palace didn’t have to look over their shoulder at all across two whole seasons. Sunderland, Leeds United and Burnley are not only competent this campaign, but competitive and capable of beating anyone, especially at home. The Black Cats players would’ve felt at home throughout Saturday’s win at Stamford Bridge with an incredible noise coming from the traveling fans behind the goal. That passionate support will go a long way this season, home and away. The same can be said for Leeds and Burnley, who have the most fortressy of fortresses in Elland Road and Turf Moor. Do we think Fulham will get relegated? Probably not. But do we think they look any better than any of the three promoted teams? No. They’ve certainly not looked better than Sunderland, and one of only two wins this season came at home to Leeds thanks to a 94th-minute own goal. They could be entering You Have To Fear For Them territory with Wolves and West Ham.

Chelsea have the quantity but not the quality 👎

There’s not much else to be said about Chelsea’s spending and what their squad looks like, but we are once again looking and wondering how they are starting a Premier League game with Marc Guiu up front. That being said, it was a big opportunity for the young Spaniard, who was loaned out to Sunderland in the summer but recalled after an injury to Blues striker Liam Delap. It’s safe to say he didn’t take his chance. In truth, you’d be forgiven for not knowing he was on the pitch. With Delap nearly back fit, it’s unlikely Guiu will start again in the Premier League this season. And as for Enzo Maresca’s depth in wide areas, there are so many players to choose from, but not a lot of quality in those positions. Jamie Gittens has been anonymous so far and for £50million, he’s getting away with it. And then you have the very hot and cold Neto and Garnacho, while Estevao has looked brilliant at times, but is only 18 years old. Long story short, Maresca is missing Cole Palmer – his only elite attacking player. There is also a lack of leaders at the back, as emphasised by nobody taking charge between Tosin and Chalobah as Brobbey stood uncontested waiting for support, which came in the form of match-winner Talbi. Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill is a solid partnership on paper, but that’s no use if one can never stay fit and the other is currently out with an ACL injury. Chalobah, Tosin and Benoit Badiashile are simply average for a team hoping to compete for the Premier League title. After a positive run, questions are again being asked of Maresca. READ MORE: How Duncan Ferguson and Champions League qualification could inspire fallen former Arsenal starboy

F365 Says