Sunderland

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport journalist

Undoubtedly, Sunderland - who won 2-1 at Chelsea on Saturday - have been the biggest surprise of the Premier League so far this season.

Minutes away from a Championship play-off final defeat in May, they will end October fourth in the top flight.

With 17 points from nine matches, the Black Cats have equalled their best Premier League start, matching their tally from 1999-2000.

Only five newly promoted sides have earned more points than Sunderland in the same number of matches. All five, including Sunderland themselves in 2000, managed to survive relegation.

"It's an unbelievable start and one that's been well earned," former Watford captain Troy Deeney told Final Score.

"If you said that a couple of months ago, Sunderland fans would tell you, you're crazy."

Ex-Manchester United and England midfielder Michael Carrick added on BBC Radio 5 Live: "Anyone who is honest enough will say that they never expected Sunderland to start this well, so full credit to them.

"The amount of points they have accumulated already has given them an unbelievable start and that's something they will want to build on."

Where do you think the Black Cats can finish this campaign? A dream run to European places or could relegation still be on the cards?

Make your choice here

Image source, Opta

It may only be October, but is it already a one-horse Premier League title race?

Arsenal's impressive start to the season - along with their regular Premier League title rivals stumbling - has left Mikel Arteta's side with a 67.34% chance of winning the trophy this season, according to the latest predictions from Opta's Supercomputer.

The Gunners, who have scored the second-most goals and conceded the fewest, have looked in imperious form as they bid to win a first Premier League title since 2004.

Manchester City are their nearest predicted challenger at 12.43%, despite sitting fifth in the table and six points off Arsenal at the top.

Following their 3-2 defeat by Brentford on Saturday - their fourth successive loss in the league - reigning champions Liverpool, who currently sit seventh, have been given the third-best chance of keeping hold of their crown at 11.04%.

They may be second in the table, but the Gunners' nearest challengers Bournemouth have still only been given a 1.47% chance of lifting the Premier League trophy.

A top-four finish and guaranteed Champions League football, however, is rated as a 22.67% chance for the Cherries.

They may be their closest rivals geographically and be third in the league, but Opta does not have Tottenham running Arteta's side all that close for the top-flight crown, with just an eighth-best 1.43% chance.

And what of surprise candidates Sunderland?

They are fourth in the table following their 93rd-minute winner against Chelsea on Saturday, but thoughts of a dream run to the title for fans should be tempered according to the supercomputer.

The promoted side have been given a 0% chance of lifting the trophy and also just a 0.91% chance of staying in the top four. However, the Black Cats' chance of relegation now stand at less than 10% (9.52%).

Image source, Opta

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Chelsea and Sunderland.

Here are some of your comments:

Chelsea fans

Ari: One step forward and two steps back. We just simply don't have the talent to break down teams who put everyone behind the ball. We are so inconsistent as well. This takes me back to the late 90s when we would show up against the big boys but struggle against the lesser teams. We also lack leaders. Where are the Terrys, the Lampards and the Drogbas?

Michael: A poor performance. There's no point having all that possession if you cannot create chances. Sunderland packed their defence but we had no creative spark. It was all too slow and predictable and we got rightly punished for it at the end but it was a game we should have won comfortably.

Alan: We have a good squad of talented players. Our problem is that this manager doesn't know how to get the best out of them. His style of football is not working and he has no plan B.

Rod: Great display against Liverpool, now back to the old ways of playing along with the manager making as usual his boring excuses. So many talented players yet still not putting it together, could this be managerial issues? Maresca look at yourself for a change.

Sunderland fans

David: A statement win which has finally earned us some proper recognition. Am so proud of the team, club, fans and city. Astute management is making the most of clever recruitment and, whisper it, we may finally have got a top half Premier league team.

Craig: The fans are delighted that we are being taken seriously, and most importantly that the players and the manager are taking being in the Premier League seriously. This wasn't a fluke win; they were genuinely better than Chelsea, on their own ground. Absolute dreamland.

Ray: Before today's game, all the pundits were saying that we were in a false position as we hadn't played anyone yet. I agree. We've only played teams below us in the league! Well done Sunderland AFC, WOW!

Dan: I thought our bubble might burst today with having such a good start so was hoping for a point but expecting a defeat. Great win, the players look like they're enjoying themselves and playing for the club and the fans. Great team spirit in the camp. Surprising everyone including us. Loving it!

Perhaps the most surprising element of Sunderland's start - beyond their points tally - is that they have managed to embed so many new signings after promotion.

The club spent £161m on 15 new players - a record level of spending for a promoted side.

It makes Sunderland's start even more of an outlier, with the Black Cats challenging perceptions about making too many changes to a squad that have earned promotion.

"It's an unbelievable start and one that's been well earned," former Watford captain Troy Deeney told Final Score.

"Most teams when they come up stick with the players that got them up but Sunderland were ruthless.

"They changed the goalkeeper and more or less every single player and said 'we will try and stay up', and to be second in this moment in time, not only will they have belief they can stay up but they'll think, 'do you reckon we can get in the top 10?'.

"If you said that a couple of months ago Sunderland fans would tell you you're crazy."

Signing so many players could have disrupted the harmony of the dressing room, leaving the players that helped the club back into the top flight resenting those that have come in and taken their place.

But, on this evidence so far, it's been the opposite.

Chris Wise
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

I learned a couple of new things this weekend. I found out that Sunderland now have more Premier League points than Leicester City did at this same stage of their title-winning season of 2015-16.

Having interviewed Wilson Isidor after the game, I also discovered the French word for fox is "renard". I'd called his goal a "poacher's finish", a term which clearly didn't translate, but he said (with a big smile) "I believe you call it the fox in the box".

What I did know about Sunderland - having seen them with my own eyes once already this season - is they are a very intuitive, well-coached, balanced team.

Their last-gasp win at Chelsea was yet further proof of how a newly promoted team can be both offensively brave and defensively brittle in the same breath.

They've been in some dark places at Sunderland in recent years. I can't imagine too many days have felt as gloriously bright as Saturday did.

Pundits Michael Carrick and Ashley Williams join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Chelsea 1-2 Sunderland

• Newcastle 2-1 Fulham

• Man Utd 4-2 Brighton

Sean Kearns
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland moved into second place in the Premier League as winger Chemsdine Talbi scored a 94th-minute winner to stun Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Regis le Bris' side were on the brink of earning a valuable point in west London, but snatched all three when Talbi converted from the edge of the box after a quick counter-attack.

The victory - Sunderland's second on the road this season - was all the more remarkable given Chelsea had taken an early lead when Alejandro Garnacho scored his first goal for the club with a fine solo effort.

Sunderland levelled through Wilson Isidor, who netted from close range for his fourth goal of the season following Chelsea's failure to clear their lines from a long throw.

The Black Cats were less adventurous in the second half, seemingly content to settle for a point against the Club World Cup champions.

But the home side struggled to create clear-cut chances and over-committed numbers in the search of a winner.

Sunderland expertly exploited the space left in Chelsea's half as substitute Brian Brobbey latched on to a long ball, held up possession and laid off for Talbi to score a famous winner.

The win means the Black Cats move into second place, two points behind leaders Arsenal having played a game more than the Gunners.

Chelsea, who would have gone second with a victory of their own, slip to seventh behind London rivals Tottenham.

Listen to Wilson Isidor's post-match interview on BBC Sounds

Sunderland boss Regis le Bris spoke to BBC Match of The Day after his side's late victory against Chelsea: "We try our best to design a game plan for this game. I think it worked well even if we conceded an early goal. High press, they have this ability to exploit space with their players going one-v-one. Their players have many offensive threats so they scored early.

"With the ball we were alright I think. Without the ball it was tough but it got a bit better, second half was really good. It didn't feel like it was possible for them to score. We felt the momentum shift a bit and it was possible to score.

"The emotions in the club so far are excellent. It's impressive. We've found this togetherness not only across the squad but also across the club with the fans as well. When the energy is like that you can create many positives, like this win today.

"I think we struggled a bit out of position because it was absolutely obvious. With the ball I'm really happy because we showed good qualities. For the defensive block we struggled a bit to find the right position and it was critical so after 15 minutes were done and we have this connection to build something a little bit different.

"Today against this squad, Chelsea have so many threats, it was really important to be clinical. It's a positive lesson because we won in the end."

On Sunderland being second in the table: "It's good for them, [the fans] positive vibes. I think they deserve this. For us the target always remains the same. We want to reach this target of 40 points more or less as soon as possible."

Sunderland goalscorer Wilson Isidor to BBC MOTD: "We know that coming to play at Stamford Bridge is not easy, even more when you're one goal down. But this team has a lot of character. I'm not surprised. I'm really happy about the win and I hope we will continue like this.

"My job was to close down [Moises] Caicedo, we know how he starts the attack every time. They put me in trouble when they had two sixes, I didn't know who to follow. But they did not continue with this. I'm really happy about it. The model of the game was to stay together, even if we had to suffer. We suffered and we won so the rewards were there.

"I think this win we dedicate to our fans. They still believed until the end. Last season our slogan was 'until the end' and today we showed that.

"We know with Nordi Mukiele he is a machine, he can throw the ball so far. I have to expect every time that the ball will jump to my feet. I was like a fox. That's how we say. We say renarde in French.

"We don't want to speak too much. We are just playing our games. We will see where we finish."

Did you know you're now second in the table?: "We're second?! That's nice, no? We are not second, it is not the end of the season. We have to keep focusing.

Did you know?

• Sunderland's 17 points from their opening nine Premier League games is the best return by a promoted club at this stage since Hull City in 2008-09 (20).

Hear more from Regis le Bris on BBC Sounds

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Chelsea's performance

What did you make of Sunderland's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Enzo Maresca makes eight changes to the side who saw off Ajax on Wednesday and starts Alejandro Garnacho alongside Joao Pedro and Pedro Neto.

Chelsea starting XI: Sanchez, James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Neto, Pedro, Garnacho, Guiu

Subs: Jorgensen, Tosin, Fofana, Hato, Lavia, Santos, Estevao, Gittens, George

Regis Le Bris makes two changes to the team that beat Wolves last weekend with Omar Alderete missing out due to a concussion and Chris Rigg dropping to the bench.

Sunderland starting XI: Roefs, Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Reinildo, Geertrudia, Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee, Traore, Isidor

Subs: Patterson, Neil, O'Nein, Talbi, Rigg, Brobbery, Mayenda, Jones, Masuaku

There are four games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Chelsea v Sunderland (15:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Newcastle v Fulham (15:00) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Man Utd v Brighton (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Brentford v Liverpool (20:00)

Kick-offs 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Sunderland" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v Fulham", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

This fixture does not hold too many good memories for me, because my Chelsea debut was against the Black Cats in 1999.

They are terrible memories, actually, because I missed a couple of one-on-ones but at least it was a good team performance and I still got a win bonus... although thinking about it, they should have taken that off me.

I am going for another Chelsea win this time too, even though Joao Pedro is in my Fantasy team and he is not scoring.

They made lots of changes against Ajax on Wednesday but still won so emphatically.

Enzo Maresca's side were not as convincing when they beat Nottingham Forest last weekend and the 3-0 scoreline flattered them a bit, but after a bit of a wobble in September, they have now won four in a row in all competitions.

Sunderland are extremely well organised but I'd still fancy Chelsea to find a way through - which is probably bad news for Blues supporters.

I don't want to sound too negative about how my predictions are going, but I got Sunderland wrong every week even when I was doing well, and at the moment I am doing badly.

I am going to write the Black Cats off again now though because I think we are already at the stage where their fans want me to. They know it means there is a good chance of them winning.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

In-form Chelsea host the pick of the promoted sides Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The Blues have won each of their past four matches in all competitions, with three of those victories coming at home, including a 5-1 thrashing of Dutch giants Ajax in midweek.

Much was made of the starting XI chosen by head coach Enzo Maresca for that match which, with an average age of just 22, was the second youngest named by an English side in Champions League history.

His bold selection was vindicated by their emphatic win, with Marc Guiu, Estevao and Tyrique George finding the target - the first time in the competition's history that three teenagers have scored for one team in a single match.

Marseca remains the only manager in Premier League history not to select a player over the age of 30, although some of his more experienced names should return on Saturday, with the likes of Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Pedro Neto all rested for their European fixture.

One player who will not return this weekend is Cole Palmer. The 23-year old has only featured fleetingly this season because of a groin issue but his absence has largely been masked by the emergence of Estevao, who was exceptional against 10-man Ajax on Wednesday.

The 18-year old is the youngest Blues player to set up a Premier League goal, the youngest Brazilian to score a winner in the Premier League and the youngest Chelsea player to score in the Champions League. His head coach has also hinted at a likeness between him and Chelsea's missing star.

"Cole started wide at Manchester City then built some physicality," said Maresca. "In the future, Estevao can do the same and become a number 10."

Sunderland head to the capital with confidence and rightly so.

The Premier League newcomers have made their joint-best start to a Premier League season, matching the efforts of the 1999-2000 squad managed by Peter Reid. His side went on to finish seventh.

The Black Cats have also gone 13 away league games against London sides without losing since a 2-1 defeat at Fulham in April 2018, winning four of those matches and drawing nine.

Sunderland made sweeping changes to the side that won Championship promotion and the majority of the club's raft of summer signings have hit the ground running.

Robin Roefs, 22, has arguably been the pick of the bunch and according to Opta's data he has prevented a total of three goals this season, more than any other Premier League goalkeeper.

None of the past 16 Premier League meetings between these sides at Stamford Bridge have resulted in a draw, with Chelsea winning 13 and Sunderland the other three.

Sunderland boss Regis le Bris has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Le Bris confirmed Omar Alderete will miss the trip to West London but is his "only" injury concern: "He is under concussions protocols. He is having daily assessments - we'll keep monitoring him. We will see if he can make Everton."

• He added it is an "advantage" to have Reinildo back available after serving a three-match suspension for a red card against Aston Villa and the defender has "lifted the standards of training".

• On the challenge posed by the Blues: "Chelsea are really strong. It's a top four team in the Premier League. They can play 60 games, they have depth, young and dynamic. It's a good example for us. They are well coached and have individuals who can win a game. It's a big test."

• Le Bris said Sunderland's start to the season has been a "good start to the season" which shows his side can be "flexible and consistent". He said: "At the minute, it's fair to say part of the pitch needs development but we believe these players can compete at the level. I repeat, it's a question of time and support. We trust them."

• On Marc Guiu being recalled by Chelsea after playing three times for the Black Cats on loan at the start of the season: "The transfer market sometimes is weird. We appreciate the short time with Marc but not it's a different story."

• Asked about how Sunderland executed the signing of Nordi Mukiele, Le Bris said: "You need money to be competitive but it's not everything. You need your expertise, to understand the profile you need. The recruitment structure worked really well to find these profiles."

• On Noah Sadiki being nominated for young African player of the year: "He's really well connected with us, a big personality. Very coachable. He wants to be the best player possible - this fits well with what we want to develop here."

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Chelsea v Sunderland on Saturday from 15:00 on BBC Sounds

Gavin Henderson
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Sunderland's return in style from the international break added weight to the noise that is surrounding the city and the football club at the moment.

The day kicked off in style with the official opening of Keel Crossing - a brand new footbridge that links the city centre to the Stadium of Light across the River Wear.

For pre-match beer drinkers like myself, that has shaved a good half an hour off the time it takes to get from the pub to the turnstiles - and that can only be a good thing.

There was certainly a sense that the majority of the people at the game had enjoyed the extra beer or two that had been afforded to them by the additional time spent in the various ale houses across Sunderland city centre. It helped ensure the atmosphere was buoyant and expectant as our in-form side took on Wolves.

Our visitors are in an awful situation, having collected only two points since the season started. We did not want to be the first team beaten by them in the Premier League this season so, despite the international break, our Lads were on their toes and ready for action.

After controlling the first half to lead though, the second half was not as pleasant, and had we played someone better than the team currently propping up the rest of the division we might have been made to pay.

Regis le Bris was typically gracious in his post-match comments, and gave Wolves the credit they deserved for making it a game, but the same cannot be said about Vítor Pereira, who seemed to be in deflection mode and looked down his nose at Sunderland for the way we opted to play the game.

Sorry, Vitor, but when you are bottom of the table you really cannot stand there and look down at anyone. Substance means more than style at this level.

Thankfully, having looked up to clubs like Wolves in the recent past, it is nice to be sat here with their fans admiring the way our team plays.

We have come such a long way in a short space of time.

Find more from Gavin Henderson at Roker Report, external

Image source, Getty Images

Marco Gabbiadini praised Omar Alderete and Dan Ballard for dealing with Wolves' threat in Saturday's win.

"We all love Ballard, he is a player that every fan wants to see playing," Gabbiadini said.

"Alderete and Ballard just headed and booted everything out of the box.

"Wolves had lots of ball, possession and passes. What did they achieve with that output? Not that much."

Listen to the full conversation from BBC Radio Newcastle here