Chelsea fans rage at Enzo Maresca after costly substitution in late defeat to Sunderland
Chelsea supporters were left furious with manager Enzo Maresca following his controversial substitution during their dramatic 2-1 loss to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge.
Just days after thrashing Ajax 5-1 in the Champions League, the Blues looked poised to continue their winning form when Alejandro Garnacho netted his first goal since joining from Manchester United, giving Chelsea an early lead.
However, Sunderland hit back in the 22nd minute through Wilson Isidor before substitute Chemsdine Talbi snatched a stoppage-time winner, converting calmly from Bryan Brobbey’s assist to spark wild celebrations in the away end. The result lifted Sunderland to second place in the Premier League after an impressive start to the campaign.
The defeat was a bitter blow for the Club World Cup champions, and many fans blamed Maresca for the late collapse — particularly his decision to substitute 19-year-old defender Josh Acheampong for Tosin Adarabioyo in the 76th minute, shortly before Talbi’s decisive goal.
Supporters took to social media to vent their frustration. One fan wrote on X:
“Acheampong was having the game of his life, then Maresca takes him off for no reason.”
Another raged:
“Why on earth did Maresca take Acheampong off when he’s clearly our best defender in transition?”
A third added:
“Maresca better say Acheampong couldn’t continue — even if it’s a lie. Sack him if that was a tactical change.”
A fourth supporter echoed the sentiment, saying:
“Acheampong handled those situations brilliantly today. Chalobah and Tosin were dreadful.”
Maresca responds after defeat
Chelsea had bounced back strongly from a 3-1 home defeat to Brighton on September 27, putting together a four-game winning streak across all competitions — including a thrilling victory over Liverpool.
But they struggled to find rhythm in Saturday’s early kick-off, and Maresca admitted his side were below par.
“In general, we were not good enough,” he said post-match.
“When you’re not at the right level in the Premier League, the consequences can be bad. If you can’t win, you must at least avoid losing.
“The second goal wasn’t even from a transition — it was a long ball we didn’t defend properly. The first came from a throw-in with six or seven of their players in the box. It’s difficult. We simply weren’t good enough.”
Chelsea will look to regroup when they face Wolves in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, before a Premier League showdown against Tottenham next weekend.
