Talbi strikes as Sunderland stun Chelsea, Newcastle beat Fulham

Sunderland extended their strong return to the Premier League on Saturday when they dealt Chelsea a 2-1 home defeat with substitute Chemsdine Talbi curling in a winner deep into stoppage time.

The visitors, who moved up to second place in the table, had gone behind in the fourth minute when Alejandro Garnacho claimed his first goal for Chelsea, cutting in from the left and shooting through the legs of Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

The Londoners’ lead was cancelled out by Wilson Isidor’s equaliser in the 22nd minute when the Frenchman stabbed in from close range after Chelsea failed to deal with a long throw.

The game appeared to be heading for a draw as Chelsea failed to find a way through the Black Cats’ disciplined midfield and defensive lines.

In the third minute of added time, however, Talbi collected a pass by fellow substitute Brian Brobbey and the Morocco winger placed his low shot perfectly for his first goal for Sunderland since signing from Club Brugge in July.

Sunderland coach Regis Le Bris said his players had found the right balance between pressing Chelsea high up the pitch in key moments before holding their deep blocking formation.

“It’s a good performance, especially after the early goal,” the Frenchman told reporters. “We won three points. We are happy with the way we played. It is important to grab this opportunity when possible.”

Enzo Maresca’s men had been seeking their third league win in a row after victories over Liverpool and Nottingham Forest but failed to build on their early lead.

Brazilian teenager Estevao, who came on to score the winner in the 2-1 victory over Liverpool, was largely held at bay by Sunderland after he replaced Garnacho in the 58th minute.

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah said the Blues had paid the price for losing concentration in the dying moments.

“As a team it is not the best of games but it is one we have to learn from,” he told Sky Sports. “With the Champions League we have a lot of games but we can’t complain. These are the games we want to play in and we can’t use that as an excuse.”

Newcastle struck late to beat Fulham 2-1.

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 11th and within three points of the top four.

“We have to learn how to finish in the game, in the first half we could have finished at least 3-0,” Guimaraes said.

“We had a lot of chances, but I am happy in the end we scored a goal. In the last few games we have been punished at the end.”

Earlier, Nuno Espirito Santo’s winless start to his West Ham reign has reached four games after Leeds cruised to a 2-1 victory at Elland Road on Friday.

Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon struck for Leeds in the first 15 minutes, with Mateus Fernandes’s late reply coming too late to save the lacklustre Hammers. Second-bottom West Ham are three points from safety after seven defeats in their first nine top-flight matches this season.

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

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 don’t suffer a relegation that would leave them outside the top-flight for the first time since 2011-12.

But the last West Ham manager to fail to win any of his first four games in charge was Manuel Pellegrini in September 2018.

Nuno was sacked by Nottingham Forest in September after the break-down of his relationship with volatile owner Evangelos Marinakis following disagreements over the club’s transfer policy.

Agencies