After defeat to Sunderland, Merson warns Chelsea

Paul Merson has weighed in on Chelsea’s loss to Sunderland in his newest Sky Sports piece, with Xabi Alonso’s opening spell at Stamford Bridge remaining inconsistent. Chelsea lost 1-0 to an Enzo Le Fee first-half penalty. They remain fifth in the Premier League, but in-form Everton and Bournemouth are closing in.

Chelsea’s next game carries added significance: defeat to Leeds would leave them behind their opponents. December also brings a demanding schedule, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa all to face before Christmas.

Merson believes Champions League qualification must be Chelsea’s aim. “If Chelsea don’t get into the Champions League, it would be a massive, massive failure,” he said. He also expressed disappointment with the team’s display at Sunderland, saying he was “very disappointed” with their performance. In his view, inconsistency is a concern for a side playing only once a week.

The former player also criticised Xabi Alonso’s approach, saying the coach had played into Sunderland’s hands. Merson recalled that, in his view, Estevao had been Chelsea’s best player the previous week against Manchester United, particularly in the first half. He questioned why the Brazilian was not playing against Sunderland. Merson felt Alonso should have selected him and asked him to run with the ball, using the same team as against Manchester United.

Before the season began, Alonso said he wanted his team to be “unpredictable”. He later acknowledged that circumstances affected his team selections. He said Josh Acheampong had told him the previous day that he was not ready to play, leaving the coach short of options. Chelsea also admitted they were missing Joao Pedro, while supporters have been frustrated by Estevao Willian’s limited league starts this season.

Merson praised Sunderland, saying they had played very well and had performed as they did the previous season, when they were flying. His criticism also concerned Chelsea’s identity: Xabi Alonso appeared frustrated as the team’s struggles to find an identity continued in the 1-0 defeat. For Merson, the stakes therefore extend beyond this loss: Chelsea need greater consistency if they are to reach their European target.