Xabi Alonso and Mike Penders have offered their verdicts on the decisive penalty Chelsea conceded in their Premier League defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Chelsea suffered their fourth league defeat in 10 games as Alonso’s side fell to fifth place in the Premier League following a 1-0 away defeat.

The Black Cats stamped their authority early on, causing physical havoc for Chelsea’s centre-back pairing of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana.

The visitors should have been awarded a penalty for a foul on Cole Palmer, but VAR believed the contact was outside the area, despite images showing the Englishman was kicked inside the box, or at least that the contact continued into the penalty area.

Brian Brobbey’s physicality against Colwill paid off midway through the first half as the defender tripped the forward in the box, despite the Sunderland man initiating contact with the 23-year-old. The resulting penalty was slotted away by Enzo Le Fée.

Alonso made a change at half-time, which saw Moisés Caicedo deployed at centre-back as Brazilian teenager Estêvão Willian entered the frame in place of Colwill.

Following the award of the penalty, both Alonso and Penders gave their thoughts on the decision, with a surprisingly split verdict.

The goalkeeper, speaking to Sky Sports after the match, believed that the Blues had been hard done by, saying: “For me, it wasn't a penalty. He barely touched him. I think it was the other way round. He grabbed him.”

Penders' frustration was not shared by the Chelsea manager, who refused to blame the match officials and instead pointed the finger at Colwill's defending.

He said: “I think it’s an action where he can defend better. It’s our mistake.”

Alonso's refusal to blame the referee will give the Spaniard plenty to think about over the international break, given that his side were nowhere near their best. The 45-year-old seemed particularly frustrated with the goal, as he also claimed it was something they had been working on in the build-up to the game.

Chelsea were bullied aerially on several occasions during the first half, with both central defenders, along with Marco Palestra, struggling to handle the pressure Sunderland were piling on. According to Sky Sports, the Blues lost 63 per cent of their duels in the first half, reflecting how dominant the home side were.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher believed it was “always a foul”, as his interpretation was that Colwill allowed Brobbey to get in front of him.

Caicedo appeared calmer and more composed than Colwill, although this could also have coincided with Sunderland adopting a more defensive approach in the second half, allowing Chelsea to enjoy the majority of possession.

With the international break now arriving, it may well come at a good time for Alonso, who will be sweating over the availability of João Pedro. The Brazilian has missed the last three league games, leaving the Blues looking more toothless in attack. The west London side host Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on November 21.