Sunderland 1-0 Chelsea: Enzo Le Fee Penalty Gets Black Cats Back To Winning Ways

Sunderland secured a hard-fought victory against Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, with a first-half penalty from Enzo Le Fée securing their first league win since late August and lifting the Black Cats off the bottom of the table.

Pressure was mounting on Regis Le Bris ahead of kick-ff, but the win proved that the Black Cats are still playing for the Frenchman, with Sunderland earning a precious three points that could potentially be the turning point for their barren start to the season.

Le Bris made eight changes from his side, who fell to a 2-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League in midweek, seeing Nordi Mukiele and Luke O'Nien return to central defense, with Enzo Le Fee and Chemsdine Talbi also returning to the starting XI as Brian Brobbey fronted the attack.

Sunderland's afternoon started in torrid fashion, with Granit Xhaka withdrawn through injury in the opening minute and hobbling off the Stadium of Light turf to be replaced by Jules Ahoka, with the captain's injury particularly worrying given that it was a non-contact incident.

Ahoka made an eye-catching start to the game, utilising his body exceptionally to shield the ball, winning challenges and playing forward with intent, taking up Xhaka's mantle in the heart of Sunderland's midfield with aplomb.

A wickedly weighted ball from Talbi found the path of Brobbey in Chelsea's box, but Brobbey failed to convert on the volley and saw a guilt-edged chance for the opening goal go begging by the bullish number nine.

After Sunderland squandered a promising counterattack, Ahoka was booked by referee Jarred Gillett for a necessary foul on Moises Caicedo to thwart a potentially dangerous Chelsea attack.

Moments later, Luke O'Nien made a lunging tackle which was seemingly a foul as Cole Palmer drove into Sunderland's 18-yard box, which was waved as play-on by referee Gillett after a VAR check.

After a quality, quick move from Chelsea, Morgan Rogers leapt unopposed in the Sunderland box to meet Marco Palestra's teasing cross, but headed wide as Robin Roefs was left rooted.

Sunderland cleared from defence to see Trai Hume's flick fed Brobbey through, who bullied Levi Colwill off the ball and ran positively at Chelsea's goal and rounded Wesley Fofana, but took himself too wide as a result and fired the wrong side of the post with his left foot to spurn a second glorious chance to score.

Brobbey won a penalty for Sunderland on the 32-minute mark, and Colwill could simply not deal with the Dutchman's brute strength and hold-up play, bringing down the Sunderland striker as he drove at goal to see Gillett justly point to the spot.

From the resulting spot-kick, Le Fee dispatched emphatically, sending Mike Penders the wrong way and opening the scoring for Sunderland with a superb penalty, putting the Black Cats deservedly ahead at the interval.

Alonso made an attacking half-time change, ending Colwill's horrid half by replacing the centre-back with Brazilian winger Estêvão, signalling clear intent to respond to the Black Cats in the second half.

Experienced defender Thomas Meunier went into the book minutes into the second half after a late and full-blooded tackle on Caicdeo, and Brobbey was carded for a tustle with Romeo Lavia as the intense physical battles between the two sides continued.

On the hour mark, Meunier made an excellent intervention to halt an opportunity on goal for Estêvão, with the chance coming after a clear push in the back of Ahoka from Rogers.

Brobbey was withdrawn by Le Bris after 66 minutes, seeing the fresh legs of Wilson Isidor enter the fray, and the Sunderland number nine was met with a warranted round of applause from the Stadium of Light faithful for his outstanding effort.

Penders was called into action with a strong save from substitute Isidor, who latched onto a loose ball in the Blues' box but failed to convert at close range.

The Black Cats retreated deep into their defensive structure as the Blues continued to probe, with Talbi worrying Penders for a moment in a chance eerily similar to the goal he netted at Stamford Bridge last year before the in-form-again Moroccan winger was replaced by Nilson Angulo as Chris Rigg came on for goalscorer Le Fee.

A thumping challenge from O'Nien halted a promising Chelsea counter as the clash approached the 90-minute mark, but the Sunderland stalwart appeared to play the ball before bizarrely being booked.

The following free-kick saw Chelsea substitute and 2010/11 Black Cats loanee Danny Welbeck head over Roefs' bar in an opportunity he ought to have done better with.

An anxious final few minutes led to a foul on Roefs end of the game and saw a colossal performance from the Black Cats, earning their first win in the Premier League since late August to lift them off the bottom against the Billionaire-backed Blues.

The win made clear that the Black Cats are still playing for Le Bris despite their awful start to the league campaign.

Could the Blues win be the turning point for Sunderland's season?