Chelsea’s first-half visit to Sunderland produced a major refereeing flashpoint after a penalty appeal was turned down and then left untouched by VAR.

The key moment arrived about a quarter of the way through the opening half, when Palmer shifted beyond Luke O’Nien. Sunderland’s skipper tried to stop him, but he did not get near the ball and instead came into the back of Palmer’s right knee.

Referee Gillett did not signal for a foul, and video assistant referee Nick Hopton also chose not to ask for a review at the monitor. During the contest, the Premier League issued a statement saying the VAR was not convinced by the penalty appeal.

Hopton’s view was that the incident happened outside the area. Broadcast footage, however, suggested the contact may have started just before the white line and then continued into the box, which would have made a penalty decision more likely.

The reasoning behind the call sits in the way VAR is allowed to operate. It can only intervene when there is a “clear and obvious error,” a standard maintained by the Premier League’s lawmakers.

That still left many online fans angry at the outcome, especially after Sunderland were awarded a penalty just 13 minutes later. Sky Sports commentator Chris Sutton offered only partial sympathy for the visitors, adding to the scrutiny on a decision that had already become the main talking point of the match.

Chelsea’s decision to go without a natural centre forward in place of the injured João Pedro was punished once more, as they were subdued in a 1-0 defeat away to Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

Xabi Alonso’s approach again left Chelsea short of penetration, with Sunderland doing enough to keep the visitors at arm’s length and expose the same attacking problem that has followed them for several matches. Brian Brobbey offered the clearest contrast between the sides, using his physical presence to win the penalty that Enzo Le Fée turned into the game’s only goal. It was a narrow margin, but one that felt deserved in the balance of play.

For Chelsea, the absence of João Pedro continued to cast a heavy shadow. Their leading scorer this season missed his fourth Premier League appearance of the campaign, and the result was another afternoon of limited threat in the final third. Even before this defeat, Chelsea had already been stifled by Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur without their regular No. 9. The one exception came in last weekend’s win over Manchester United, a match in which Chelsea were helped more than they were inspired.

Sunderland arrived with their own concerns, sitting bottom of the Premier League table after conceding 17 goals in their first nine league games of the season. Yet Régis Le Bris had set the tone beforehand: “We need to be pragmatic first,” as Régis Le Bris had warned prematch, “because it is clear if you concede goals it is more difficult to win the game.”

Chelsea’s issue without Pedro is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Alonso has tried Morgan Rogers, Danny Welbeck and, on Sunday, Pedro Neto as part of a fluid front line, but the side lacks the control and creativity that their usual No. 9 provides. In Wearside, that limitation was once again exposed.

Manchester United’s brief relief did not last long, as Manchester City’s 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest pushed the Red Devils into the relegation zone. It is the first time the club have been there since November 1986, at least nine matches into a season.

The table now leaves United 18th on seven points, level with Crystal Palace in 19th and only above Sunderland. Nottingham Forest’s win lifted them to 16th, with Coventry City and Crystal Palace also on seven points in the lower reaches of the standings. Fulham sit 15th on 10 points, while Nottingham Forest are on nine.

United had already been hovering around danger for much of the campaign, and their only league victory so far remains the 5-2 win over newly promoted Ipswich Town in August. There has been little sign of a sustained recovery, and the pressure has only intensified.

Michael Carrick’s side now face another difficult test. An injury-riddled squad welcomes Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Sunday, with little margin for error as the season continues to tighten around them.

Forest’s victory was built on a composed and disciplined display, even as they spent long spells under pressure at City Ground. Enzo Maresca’s team were repeatedly forced back, but Nottingham Forest held firm.

Liam Delap provided the decisive edge with a brace, taking his tally to just his second and third Premier League goals of the season. He last scored on Sept. 12 in a 2-1 win over Aston Villa.

Forest were two goals up by the 20th minute. Jair Cunha opened the scoring in the sixth minute after forcing a turnover on City’s Joško Gvardiol, then finishing low into the left side of the net. Twelve minutes later, Delap doubled the advantage after collecting the ball in Forest’s half and driving between Rúben Dias and Marc Guéhi before firing high into the net.