Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg insists the Black Cats will show “no fear” at Stamford Bridge as they prepare to face Chelsea in their toughest Premier League test so far
Sunderland midfielder Chris Rigg has delivered a confident message ahead of this weekend’s trip to Chelsea, insisting that the Black Cats will head to Stamford Bridge with “no fear” as their impressive Premier League form continues.
The 18-year-old has played an important role in Sunderland’s strong start to life back in the top flight under Régis Le Bris after the injury to Habib Diarra, with the side collecting 14 points from their first eight games and maintaining an unbeaten record at the Stadium of Light.
Rigg, who starred once again during the 2-0 win over Wolves last weekend, admitted the performance wasn’t flawless but stressed that results ultimately matter more than perfection as Sunderland continue to build momentum.
He told The Echo: “We got three points. So no matter how you play, if you get them three points, who cares? Obviously, there's so much to improve; no one's going to have a perfect game, and not one person on the pitch will have a perfect game. So I think we've just got to keep going at it.”
Le Bris’ side will now travel to Stamford Bridge to face Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea – arguably their toughest test of the season so far. However, Rigg made it clear that Sunderland will not be daunted by the occasion or the opposition.
When asked if Sunderland will travel to London with any nerves, Rigg added: “No, definitely not. I don't think we're going there with fear. As you see from our performance, as we went into Forest, the way we were, no fear, came out with three points. So, I think it's just taking that intensity in that game as well.”
Chris Rigg’s meteoric rise at Sunderland
Rigg’s rise through the ranks has been nothing short of remarkable. Just three years ago, he was still balancing schoolwork with football, occasionally joining Tony Mowbray’s first-team sessions while captaining the club’s youth sides.
He made his senior debut aged just 15 in an FA Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town in January 2023, becoming the second-youngest player in Sunderland’s history. Within months, he had written his name into the record books again, scoring in the EFL Cup against Crewe Alexandra to become both Sunderland’s youngest ever goalscorer and the youngest scorer in the competition’s history.
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Rigg continued to develop rapidly, netting on his league debut in a 5-0 win over Southampton and later scoring a stunning back-heeled goal against Middlesbrough – a strike that earned him the EFL Championship Goal of the Month award in September 2024. By the end of the 2024–25 campaign, he was named EFL Championship Apprentice of the Season as Sunderland sealed promotion to the Premier League. Now, after signing a long-term contract keeping him at the club until 2030, Rigg has established himself as an important figure in Le Bris’ squad.
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