Chelsea’s inconsistent form away from home continued on Sunday afternoon as the Blues fell to a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Key moments involving the match officials contributed to Xabi Alonso’s side losing their grip on a game in which Chelsea had very little attacking threat to respond with. 

Heading into the fixture, the hosts sat 20th in the Premier League and had been without a league win since August. Additionally, Sunderland also compete in the UEFA Europa League, meaning they had a shorter turnaround time than Alonso’s side, who had enjoyed a seven-day gap between fixtures.

After Chelsea had a penalty claim of their own turned down by referee Jarred Gillett, the hosts were awarded a penalty following a tussle between Brian Brobbey and Levi Colwill. Despite the seemingly balanced nature of the challenge, the Australian referee pointed to the spot. Enzo Le Fée converted, and that was enough for the Black Cats to take all three points.

Despite the officiating, the Blues were once again toothless in front of goal in the absence of João Pedro. The Brazilian’s injury is starting to become a real problem for Alonso’s side, who have won one and lost four in his absence.

Both Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha have been earmarked as short-term replacements, but the Spaniard has opted to play without a recognised forward in the majority of matches, with the strikers seemingly being viewed as impact players from the bench.

It has been a recurring theme for many years that Chelsea teams are toothless away from home. In 2026, the Blues have won just five league matches on the road out of a possible 15, highlighting their lack of composure away from Stamford Bridge.

Emotional control in hostile stadiums has long been Chelsea's Achilles' heel. The victory away to Everton offered a sign that things could be changing, given the hostile atmosphere. However, the reaction to going behind against Brentford and Sunderland has proven that scoring the first goal in these matches is key.

Blaming Alonso for the culture surrounding away performances would be harsh, given he has only overseen five of the 15 matches in 2026. However, so far, there is little evidence to suggest the culture change will be an overnight fix.

The decision to withdraw Colwill at half-time and move Moisés Caicedo to centre-back sent a strong message of ruthlessness. Alonso’s refusal to blame the referee after the game also suggests he is certainly not one to baby his players, which will hopefully form part of a wider cultural shift.

A damning statistic revealed that the Blues lost 63 per cent of their duels in the first half. Allowing the home side to establish their authority is a huge factor in why Chelsea find themselves going behind in games. Instead of diffusing the situation, the west London side often add to it, whether through picking up petulant bookings, giving away cheap set-pieces or, in Colwill’s case, leaving the referee with a decision to make.

After the international break, the Blues host Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. The visitors will offer a physical presence in Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

A common pattern has recently emerged in which Alonso’s side struggle to deal with a physical presence up front. Brentford had Igor Thiago, while Sunderland had Brobbey. The Yorkshire side will be no different, particularly given how structurally organised they have become under Daniel Farke.

After Leeds, Chelsea take on Nottingham Forest, who have former striker Liam Delap as a focal point. He is certainly not one to shy away from a physical tussle with an opponent.

The next two games represent an opportunity to show whether the club is a work in progress or whether the cycle of folding under a wave of pressure will continue. Chelsea have improved in that regard in recent weeks, but defensive fragility remains a concern, and the attacking output cannot afford to dry up anytime soon. 

João Pedro's return could prove to be a difference-maker, but with his comeback date still uncertain, Alonso needs to find a solution to turn narrow defeats into draws, or even victories.