Chelsea’s recent upturn in form in the Premier League came crashing back down after they were beaten 2-1 at Stamford Bridge by Sunderland.
Despite the Blues getting off to the perfect start via Alejandro Garnacho’s first goal for the club, they were pegged back before half-time before conceding with just seconds to play at the end.
Chelsea struggled in the attacking third to create any clear-cut chances. Paul Merson said Joao Pedro looked lost despite him playing in his preferred role of number 10.
As they chased a winner, Enzo Maresca used the options off the bench, crucially making a change at the back that disrupted the starting central defensive partnership.
Chelsea v Sunderland - Premier League
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Enzo Maresca substituting Josh Acheampong was costly in Chelsea defeat to Sunderland
Josh Acheampong has been one of Chelsea’s best performers of late, however he was brought off in favour of Tosin Adarabioyo after 76 minutes.
Tosin has faced criticism this season for his performances, and missed a significant portion of the season due to injury.
Acheampong’s departure left the Blues without arguably their best centre-back on form, and when Sunderland enjoyed a rare late foray into Chelsea’s box, they were caught up by what turned out to be the winning goal.
The duo on the pitch, Tosin and Trevoh Chalobah, failed to deal with Brian Bobbey for a number of seconds, as the striker allowed his teammates to join him in attack, eventually finding one for the winning goal.
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Maresca cannot keep overlooking Acheampong
If Maresca wanted to make a change to his backline, Acheampong is the easy choice on paper, due to his age and lack of experience at the top level.
However, the manager needs to be taking into account the performance levels he is seeing. Maresca recently praised Acheampong greatly after the win over Nottingham Forest.
There is likely to be plenty of rotation to the Chelsea side for the EFL Cup match against Wolves, however when Premier League and Champions League action returns, the youngster should be seen as one of the first names on the teamsheet based on his recent performances.
Until Levi Colwill returns, Acheampong is the best possible option for advancing the ball up the pitch, and when facing sides who like to sit in those line-breaking actions are going to be crucial for Chelsea in breaking their opposition down.