Chelsea
Nkunku Reflects on Chelsea Exit and Criticises Enzo Maresca’s Decisions
Nkunku blamed Enzo Maresca’s selections after injuries, then completed a €42m move to Milan. (Milan)
Christopher Nkunku has laid responsibility for an underwhelming spell at Chelsea at the feet of managerial selection as he completed a permanent move to AC Milan worth up to €42 million this summer. After flirting with a January exit and Bayern Munich, the versatile forward arrived at the San Siro and sought to set the record straight.
His time at Chelsea began with misfortune. During his first summer at the club he “got injured straight away and was out for five months, and upon my return I had a relapse,” the Frenchman explained shortly after signing for Milan. That disrupted debut campaign saw him make just two Premier League starts.
By the start of the 2024–25 campaign Nkunku had a clean bill of health, coinciding with Enzo Maresca’s appointment as Chelsea manager. Nkunku insisted he prepared fully: “In my second year, I worked hard and did everything I could to be ready,” and then added, “and the coach made his choices.” Those choices limited his opportunities. He started just three Premier League games before being picked to face Brighton & Hove Albion on Valentine’s Day, a match Chelsea lost 3–0.
Injuries to other forwards early in the year obliged Maresca to call on Nkunku for extended minutes, but the forward was unable to convert those rare starts into sustained form. Over the 2024–25 campaign Nkunku directly contributed to five Premier League goals, four of which came against Southampton, a side that endured the second-worst campaign in the competition’s history.
The combination of early injury, interrupted recovery and selection decisions defined Nkunku’s time at Chelsea. His transfer to AC Milan represents a fresh start after a spell in which opportunity and circumstance failed to align for a player who had once been linked with moves away mid-season.
Chelsea
Maresca Cites Inconsistency and Creativity Gap After Chelsea Lose Late to Sunderland
Maresca blamed inconsistency and a lack of creativity after Chelsea conceded a 93rd-minute goal. x2.
Enzo Maresca devoted his postgame assessment to a single, recurring theme: inconsistency. Chelsea arrived on the back of a midweek, record-shattering 5–1 Champions League win over Ajax, a result that extended a run to four successive victories. That momentum did not survive the weekend as Sunderland first equalised from a long throw through Wilson Isidor and then snatched victory in the 93rd minute when Chemsdine Talbi struck his first goal for the club.
Maresca singled out the team’s attacking shortcomings. He said “a lack of creativity.” He expanded on the broader issue after the match. “If you want to be there, you need consistency,” Maresca sighed postgame. “Winning four in a row and then today’s [result], it shows that.” He described the gap between peaks and troughs visually and bluntly: “If we can have that level [Maresca lifted his hand towards the ceiling] and this level [dropped the same palm towards the floor], probably it’s better to have something in between, to be always in the same way.”
The squad’s age profile and recruitment approach were offered as context for those fluctuations. Midweek accolades were tied to age-related records, and the article notes that a very youthful core can be prone to variable performances.
The decisive goal itself involved two of Chelsea’s more senior outfield figures. Trevoh Chalobah, 26, chased Brian Brobbey back into Chelsea’s half late on and was joined by 28-year-old Tosin Adarabioyo, the oldest player in Maresca’s squad. While Tosin jockeyed Brobbey, Chalobah held his position, allowing Brobbey time to lay the ball off for Talbi, who had the space to place the finish into the bottom corner. Maresca was frank about the defensive lapse. “That can be an easy situation,” Maresca moaned. “We were two vs. one, the striker is facing his own goal. It’s an easy situation to defend. In that case we have to do better.”
Chelsea
Talbi’s 93rd-Minute Strike Ends Chelsea’s Winning Run
Talbi’s 93rd-minute finish condemned Chelsea to a 2-1 loss, halting a four-game winning streak. Final
Chelsea’s four-match winning run ended in painful fashion at Stamford Bridge as Sunderland snatched a 2-1 victory with a stoppage-time winner. Chemsdine Talbi stroked home in the 93rd minute after Brian Brobbey held the ball up and teed up the Moroccan on the edge of the area, leaving Robert Sánchez beaten.
Alejandro Garnacho had put Chelsea ahead inside four minutes, squeezing a finish past Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs after a swift counter. The lead lasted only until the first half when Wilson Isidor converted amid chaos from a long throw and a deflected effort by Bertrand Traoré. That equaliser altered the tone of the match and set up a frantic finale.
The result leaves Chelsea down in seventh, while Sunderland leapfrogged to second in the table. Chelsea dominated possession and passing statistics but could not convert control into a decisive second goal. The match statistics show Chelsea with 71% possession to Sunderland’s 29%, expected goals of 0.55 to 0.92, and four shots on target to Sunderland’s three.
Individual performances were mixed. Robert Sánchez was judged 6.1, described as uncertain with the ball at his feet but relatively assured with his hands. Reece James produced the most creativity on the right and earned 7.5. Trevoh Chalobah struggled at times and was rated 6.6, while Josh Acheampong received 7.1 for several vital interventions. Marc Cucurella (6.7) pushed high from left-back. In midfield Enzo Fernández was 7.1 and Moisés Caicedo 6.6. Pedro Neto (7.4) and Alejandro Garnacho (7.2) provided the primary attacking impetus, João Pedro was 6.2 and Marc Guiu was 5.9.
Estêvão (58’) was 6.2, Jamie Gittens (76’) 6.2 and Tosin Adarabioyo (76’) 6.4. Andrey Santos and Tyrique George were introduced later, with no rating given. Subs not used included Filip Jörgensen, Jorrel Hato, Wesley Fofana and Roméo Lavia.
Chelsea created big chances and controlled the ball, but Sunderland’s resilience and a late counter finished the day for the Blues.
Chelsea
Preview: Chelsea v Sunderland — injuries, form and predicted XIs
Chelsea aim to extend their winning run as in-form Sunderland visit with injuries shaping teams play
Chelsea host Sunderland on Saturday with momentum behind the home side and questions around availability across both squads. Chelsea arrive on a winning run that has lifted them to fifth in the table; they could finish the weekend as high as second only if a series of unlikely results fall their way. The Blues are still searching for a first league victory over Sunderland since their last meeting in 2017.
Sunderland have made an encouraging start to life back in the top flight. The newly promoted side sit level on points with Chelsea and have been beaten only twice in the Premier League, both defeats coming away from home. Their away numbers are notable: just one goal in four league trips so far.
Injuries and suspensions will shape selection. Cole Palmer is absent with a return pencilled in for after the November international break. Levi Colwill and Liam Delap are long-term absentees. Benoît Badiashile will be missing until December after suffering another injury setback before the October international period, joining Dário Essugo in the treatment room. Mykhailo Mudryk is serving a provisional suspension after failing a drugs test. Malo Gusto is suspended following a late red card at the City Ground. João Pedro served a one-match European ban midweek but is available for the weekend.
Enzo Maresca rotated his squad for the midweek Ajax tie, resting Robert Sánchez, Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Pedro Neto.
Régis Le Bris is expected to make few changes after the win over Wolves but will be without Omar Alderete due to concussion. Habib Diarra, Dennis Cirkin, Romaine Mundle, Leo Hjelde and Aji Alese remain in the treatment room. Reinildo returns from a three-match suspension.
Goalkeeper Robin Roefs has been a key signing for Sunderland since last summer, while Wilson Isidor will lead the line. Bertrand Traoré might be omitted after a subdued display against Wolves.
Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Neto, Fernández, Garnacho; Pedro.
Sunderland predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Mukiele, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Adingra, Rigg, Le Fée; Isidor.
Broadcast: United Kingdom not televised (audio on BBC Radio 5 Live & talkSPORT); United States Peacock and Amazon Prime Video; Canada DAZN, fuboTV and Amazon Prime Video; Mexico Max Mexico, Amazon Prime Video, TNT Sports and TNT Go.
