According to a report by Metro on Monday, November 9, 2026, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has criticised his team's defensive and attacking displays following their disappointing 1-0 Premier League defeat to Sunderland.

The Spanish tactician refused to blame the referee after Enzo Le Fee's penalty secured all three points for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Chelsea struggled to create clear scoring opportunities against the hosts, while Levi Colwill conceded the decisive penalty after bringing down Brian Brobbey inside the penalty area.

Despite Mike Penders questioning the referee's decision, Alonso insisted that his players needed to accept responsibility for the defeat rather than focus on the officiating.

The former Real Madrid manager also believed Colwill could have handled the situation better, admitting that Chelsea made mistakes in dealing with Brobbey's physical strength and movement.

Alonso was particularly unhappy with his team's inability to contain the Sunderland striker, who troubled the visitors during attacking transitions and eventually won the penalty.

The Chelsea boss also expressed disappointment with his attacking players, highlighting their lack of patience, creativity and quality in the final third.

He believed his team failed to circulate the ball quickly enough to break down Sunderland's defensive organisation, preventing them from creating enough chances to secure a positive result.

Alonso also dismissed suggestions that Sunderland had physically overpowered his players, maintaining that Chelsea needed to defend more effectively and make better decisions in attacking situations.

The defeat represents a disappointing setback for Chelsea, who were expected to take advantage of Sunderland's difficult position in the Premier League standings.

Chelsea remain fifth in the table, while Sunderland have moved up to 18th following their important victory.

Alonso will now be looking for a strong response from his players, particularly after they failed to deliver a convincing performance against a side that had struggled to achieve positive results before Sunday's encounter.