FEEBLE Chelsea were battered by Brian Brobbey as Sunderland climbed off the bottom with a much-needed victory.

Enzo Le Fee’s first half penalty was enough to seal the 1-0 win to ease the pressure on Regis Le Bris.

But it was another miserable afternoon in the North East for the Blues as they were knocked out of the top four by Liverpool.

Xabi Alonso’s men simply could not handle Brobbey – and even after his departure Cole Palmer and Co could not muster up anything.

On this form, no wonder Thomas Tuchel does not need him with England.

The last time Chelsea came to town went down as one of Sunderland’s greatest days in half a century.

A 2-1 victory on the final day of the season capped a fairytale return to the top-flight for the Black Cats as they secured seventh spot and a place in the Europa League.

But just over five months later and the mood had completely changed around the Stadium of Light.

Mackems booed off their team following Thursday’s defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in Europe but it was their Premier League form causing most alarm on Wearside.

They headed into this sitting bottom of the pile after recording only a solitary win all season – leaving Le Bris on the brink.

Despite all of the past week’s reassurances from owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the Frenchmen knew the pressure was on here against Alonso’s troops.

He must have been fearing the worst when captain Granit Xhaka, whom he managed to keep from Chelsea and Alonso’s clutches in the summer, slumped to the turf after barely a minute.

It was later revealed that the midfielder had hurt his calf in the warm-up and he eventually limped off to leave Sunderland even more up against it.

However, even without his Swiss Superman, he still had his Dutch destroyer Brobbey and the 24-year-old produced a monstrous performance.

Levi Colwill, booked before getting hooked at half time, and Wesley Fofana will both be having nightmares about the Sunderland man for days as he bullied and ran the pair ragged.

While the ex-Ajax powerhouse struck blow after blow on the Blues backline, the stunned visitors failed to land a glove on the Mackems.

Brobbey should have broken the deadlock when he got in front of his marker to meet Chemsdine Talbi’s cross only to somehow volley wide from eight yards.

Sunderland survived a scare when Luke O’Nien bundled over Cole Palmer right on the 18 yard line but a VAR check ruled he had just nudged the ball clear with his left foot.

That would not be the only time the technology would be needed before the break.

Brobbey caused panic in the Chelsea defence again as he transformed into Usain Bolt after turning Colwill on half way.

He sprinted forwards towards Fofana, knocking the ball past the terrified Frenchman only to blaze high and wide after a heavy touch.

Colwill could not catch his breath as Brobbey was at it again moments later. He turned the England international and got into the box with both having a handful of each other’s shirts.

But it was the Sunderland man who went tumbling after the forward’s heel was clipped by the struggling centre-half.

The ref pointed to the spot, VAR agreed and Alonso was fuming.

Colwill got a caution and watched on as Enzo Le Fee sent Mike Penders the wrong way.

A Pedro Neto right foot drive was the best the Blues could muster before Alonso rang the changes.

Estevao, who many supporters felt should have started, replaced the hapless Colwill with Moises Caicedo dropping back alongside Fofana as they switched to a more attacking 4-2-3-1.

The Brazilian was denied an opening from a brilliant Thomas Meunier tackle before Danny Welbeck and Malo Gusto soon followed in place of Neto and Marco Palestra.

And it was the latter who accidentally almost levelled when his miskicked cross almost looped over Roefs with quarter of an hour to go.

The Chelsea defence were clapping when Brobbey, on a booking, was taken off as the Blues ramped up the pressure in search of a leveller.

But it was Sunderland who came close to clinching it. Le Fee fed substitute Wilson Isidor into the box but Penders was off his line quickly to save the striker’s shot.

Palmer, who barely did anything, produced an easy header for Roefs as Chelsea continued to press without any success.

In one last throw of the dice, Estevao whipped in a free-kick towards Welbeck, but the ex-Black Cats’ loanee could only head over.

Delight, and relief, on Wearside. But it seems some Chelsea fans are already getting fed-up of Alonso and his reluctance to start a genuine striker in the absence of Joao Pedro.