Sunderland stun Chelsea with 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge

LONDON – Sunderland climbed to second in the English Premier League as Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage-time winner stunned Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, while Newcastle United also struck late to beat Fulham 2-1 on Oct 25.

Back in the Premier League after eight years, the Black Cats already look set to buck the trend of promoted sides being relegated straight back to the Championship.

Chelsea looked like they would be the side to go second in the table when Alejandro Garnacho drilled in his first goal for the club after just four minutes.

However, with Brazilian wunderkind Estevao surprisingly dropped to the bench and Cole Palmer still missing through injury, the Blues lacked invention in the final third.

Sunderland levelled on 22 minutes when Wilson Isidor bundled in from close range after Chelsea failed to clear a long throw-in.

The visitors comfortably held the Club World Cup winners at bay in the second period, despite Estevao’s introduction after an hour.

Sunderland then landed the sucker punch on the counter-attack in the 93rd minute, when Brian Brobbey teed up Talbi to curl perfectly into the bottom corner.

Morocco winger Talbi said after the game: “I’m feeling great. We knew with Chelsea we wouldn’t have too many occasions to score.

“We are Sunderland, we have a great team with great players. We can do the job and we showed it today.

“We will not talk too soon, but I think we are going to do a great season.”

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.

The defeat leaves Chelsea with 14 points and any hope of a title challenge fading fast.

Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah told Sky Sports: “Everyone felt that one (in the dressing room). It is a game we needed to win. We have been very good at Stamford Bridge, so it is disappointing.”

Newcastle secured a much-needed league win, thanks to captain Bruno Guimaraes’ 90th-minute strike at St James’ Park.

Jacob Murphy pounced on an error by Calvin Bassey to give the Magpies a first-half lead. Sasa Lukic headed in Fulham’s equaliser just before the hour mark.

But Marco Silva’s men fell to a fourth consecutive defeat that leaves them hovering just above the relegation zone.

Guimaraes swept home the rebound after Bernd Leno had saved William Osula’s initial effort to snatch just Newcastle’s third league win of the season. Eddie Howe’s men climb to mid-table with 12 points.

On Oct 24, Nuno Espirito Santo slammed West Ham United’s “unacceptable” display after the winless start to his reign reached four games as Leeds United cruised to a 2-1 victory at Elland Road.

Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon struck for Leeds in the first 15 minutes, with Mateus Fernandes’ late reply coming too late to save the lacklustre Hammers who are now in relegation territory.

Nuno has taken one point from a possible 12, with a draw at Everton in his opening match followed by defeats by Arsenal, Brentford and Leeds.

“It’s a simple explanation. We didn’t deal with the problems. We didn’t deal with many things,” he said. “We have to work hard and be much better. I feel the players want to, but they switch off in many moments.

“These kind of mistakes are unacceptable in the Premier League. The second half was better but it’s not enough after you start so badly and have a mountain to climb.

“There is still time. It is our responsibility to get the best out of the players.”

Hired to replace the sacked Graham Potter, who was only in charge of the east Londoners for eight months, Nuno has been tasked with ensuring West Ham do not suffer a relegation that would leave them outside the top-flight for the first time since 2011-12. AFP