Jarrad Gillet raised eyebrows when he controversially awarded Sunderland a penalty at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon.
Chelsea's Levi Colwill is shown a yellow card by Referee Jarred Gillett after he fouls Sunderland's Brian Brobbey and a penalty kick is awarded during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Chelsea FC at Stadium of Light on November 8, 2026 in Sunderland, United Kingdom
Jarrad Gillet adjudged Levi Colwill to have fouled Brian Brobbey.(Image: Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Xabi Alonso has refused to pin the blame on Jarrad Gillet for Chelsea's disappointing 1-0 defeat to Sunderland.
The Black Cats were controversially awarded a penalty at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon when Brian Brobbey picked a fight with Levi Colwill. Shortly before the break, the Blues defender was adjudged to have committed a foul, despite almost having had his shirt ripped off his back.
The Sunderland striker grabbed Colwill by the collar before clipping his own ankles and hitting the deck. The Video Assistant Referee reviewed the incident and opted against sending Gillet to the pitchside monitor, though, confirming the on-field decision of a spot-kick.
Enzo Le Fee converted the penalty, breaking the deadlock on the River Wear. A few moments earlier, Chelsea were denied a spot-kick when Cole Palmer was chopped down inside the Sunderland box.
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Gillet didn't initially call a foul; it was only once the ball had gone out of play that the Video Assistant Referee intervened to review the collision. Nicholas Hopton and his assistant, Wade Smith, at Stockley Park, raised eyebrows when they claimed: "Any contact with Palmer occurs outside the penalty area."
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Alonso was quizzed on the two incidents. Rather than taking aim at the match officials, the Blues manager pointed the finger at his own players, claiming they need to take accountability.
"I haven’t seen Cole’s actions, but there could be a chance that it could be given," began Alonso, before breaking down the incident between Brobbey and Colwill. "The other one, I think it’s an action where he can defend better.
"It’s our mistake. I was trying to find solutions. We were missing a bit of speed on the ball, a bit of patience playing against a low block. We didn’t create enough chances; we didn’t have enough patience or creativity to create chances.
"That’s why we were not close to scoring."
When asked about Sunderland's physicality, Alonso said: "We were ready for that. We knew it would take a lot to come here and win. It wasn’t that far, but it was about detail and things we can do better.
"We could have done even better. We didn’t do enough to score what would have been the equaliser. It’s [the] Premier League; to be consistent in this block, we are still developing and improve.
"Today the feeling is not the best, but we have time to come back and reflect and come back for November and December and progressing."
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Following Liverpool's win over Crystal Palace, Chelsea have fallen out of the Premier League top four. Only goal difference separates the Blues from Everton in sixth, giving Alonso plenty of work to do over the international break.