Chelsea’s Momentum Stalled as Sunderland Snatch Late Win
Chelsea’s recent resurgence came to an abrupt halt with a disappointing defeat to Sunderland. The match began brightly for the Blues when Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring with his first goal for the club, but things quickly unraveled from there.
Despite dominating possession, Chelsea struggled to create genuine scoring opportunities. Sunderland’s compact defensive setup proved difficult to break down — a recurring issue for Enzo Maresca’s side, made worse by the absence of Cole Palmer, whose creativity and goal threat were sorely missed.
Defensively, Chelsea looked fragile throughout. They failed to deal with a long throw-in that led to Sunderland’s equalizer, and during transitions, only Josh Acheampong consistently displayed the pace and technical ability needed to recover against counterattacks.
Maresca’s decision to substitute Acheampong for Tosin Adarabioyo turned out to be costly. The change weakened Chelsea’s back line, and it became painfully evident in stoppage time when Sunderland grabbed the winning goal.
Enzo Maresca Under Fire for Costly Substitution
The decisive moment came during a late Sunderland counterattack. A long ball found its way into Chelsea’s box, where Tosin failed to engage the striker. For several seconds, he neither closed down space nor attempted a tackle, allowing the forward to lay the ball off to a teammate who calmly slotted home past the goalkeeper.
Fans were quick to criticize the manager’s tactical call. One supporter vented on social media:
“Substituting Josh, who was covering transitions well, for Tosin — who struggles in one-on-one situations — made no sense. Either Josh was injured or it was just a bad decision.”
While Tosin is the most experienced defender in the squad, that experience didn’t translate into composure or effectiveness. Given Acheampong’s solid performance, removing him without an apparent injury baffled many fans and pundits alike.
Chelsea’s Top-Four Hopes in Jeopardy
The defeat adds to growing concerns over Chelsea’s direction under Maresca. Despite a talented squad, the team appears inconsistent and fragile in key moments.
Although injuries have disrupted the lineup, Chelsea’s depth should still have been enough to overcome Sunderland at home. With results like this, their chances of securing a Champions League spot — the club’s minimum expectation — are slipping away fast
