Sunderland 0-0

Independent:

Sunderland 0 Chelsea 0

Blues make it 20 unbeaten this season but extremely lucky to come away with a goalless draw

Michael Walker

Chelsea remain unbeaten as Sunderland were also unable to find the net, but Gus Poyet might just have set down a template others will strive to copy.  Sunderland’s plan involved intense defence – in which Lee Cattermole and John O’Shea stood out – accompanied by breakaways whenever possible. Chelsea were fluent without being brilliant and gradually their control gave way to a more even contest. Sunderland deserved their point.

An indication of the confidence bred by success could be seen in Chelsea’s consistency: for the third game running, Mourinho named the same starting XI. There would be no let up. That, certainly, is how Sunderland must have felt as Chelsea imposed themselves like a clamp on the Stadium of Light. From kick-off, the hosts were squeezed into their last third.

It was a measure of the respect Poyet’s men were giving the league leaders, but it was also because Sunderland had little alternative. With Cesc Fabregas, Matic and Oscar impeccable in possession, Sunderland had to fight for every yard. It must have felt like there was a lack of air. When they did manage to gain the ball, the lack of a release valve became apparent. Steven Fletcher, the lone striker, was back helping out. So the blue shirts came again.

For all that, Chelsea found the massed red-and-white lines too dense to split with ease. It was 13 minutes before Oscar produced their first shot on target and, though Willian hit a post four minutes later, Costel Pantilimon was not forced into a decent save until shortly after the half-hour. Pantilimon made a block with his right foot to deny Branislav Ivanovic following a superb one-touch pass from Willian.

But Sunderland held on to parity until half-time and could claim a strike of the woodwork themselves.  They had a few moments of forward momentum, mainly down the left where Connor Wickham was persistent, although it was a Lee Cattermole run down the right on 34 minutes that led to a shot from Santiago Vergini which clipped the top of Thibaut Courtois’ crossbar.

Diego Costa was quiet. For him. There was an exquisite through-ball from Fabregas that required an excellent tackle from John O’Shea on Costa, and those two then clashed on the touchline. There were excitable claims that Costa lashed out at O’Shea. Referee Kevin Friend merely had a word with both men. It was good refereeing. But Costa may have been beginning to feel some pressure building within himself. The second half started with Chelsea again imposing their play upon Sunderland in their last third, but the hosts were still holding their own.

Then 10 minutes after half-time Costa jumped with Wes Brown near the halfway line and left a trailing arm. It smacked Brown in the face. The crowd shouted for a red card, Friend brought out the yellow.

Poyet then introduced an unpredictable centre-forward of his own, Jozy Altidore, and the American earned Sunderland some territory in the Chelsea’s half and there was further home encouragement when Wickham stung the hands of Courtois from 20 yards.

Costa’s influence, apart form the odd scrape, declined to the stage where he was replaced by Loic R émy and Mourinho also sent on Didier Drogba, though it was Altidore who was the next to be closest to breaking the deadlock. That was in the 82nd minute and it was followed swiftly by another Altidore burst. This one resulted in a stabbed shot from Adam Johnson. Sunderland were finishing with energy.


Sunderland: (4-1-4-1) Pantilimon; Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Reveilliere; Cattermole; Johnson, Larsson, Rodwell (Gomez, 62), Wickham; Fletcher (Altidore, 62).

Chelsea: (4-2-3-1) Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic; Fabregas; Willian (Schürrle, 85), Oscar (Drogba, 76), Hazard; Costa (Remy, 76).

Referee: Kevin Friend.

Man of the match: Lee Cattermole (Sunderland).

Match rating:  6/10.


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Observer:

Chelsea and José Mourinho frustrated in goalless draw with Sunderland

Louise Taylor

As the final whistle blew José Mourinho wore the contemplative frown of a man minded to cancel Christmas but it could have been much worse for the Chelsea manager.

After all, had Adam Johnson not missed a simple late chance for Sunderland his side would have lost their unbeaten Premier Leaguerecord. Similarly, standing at another angle, Kevin Friend might arguably have sent Diego Costa off after a tangle with Wes Brown.

Instead all that Chelsea sacrificed was their record of scoring in every Premier League game this season and the chance to have gone nine points – rather than a mere seven – clear at the top of the table.

Some might even argue Mourinho escaped relatively lightly against opponents who have a bit of an Indian sign over them. Inspired by Lee Cattermole’s exceptional midfield dynamism and some impressive defending on John O’Shea’s part, the Wearsiders deserved their point but may feel they should have been celebrating an unlikely hat-trick on Saturday night.

Mourinho scrapped Chelsea’s Christmas party in the wake of his side’s League Cup quarter-final defeat here a year ago and, even worse for the Portuguese, Sunderland won at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League in April.

Failure to exert proper revenge must have been galling but, by the time he faced the media, his technical area scowl had been replaced by an air of sanguine resignation.

“Of course this year’s party’s still on,” said the Chelsea manager. “Sunderland defended very, very well. Some people, some football Einsteins, criticise defensive teams, they say defending is a crime but I don’t, they were playing for a clean sheet, they were successful in that objective and I praise them. We tried everything to win but we couldn’t win – and don’t forget we arrived home from Schalke at 5am in midweek.”

Perhaps tiredness did catch up with his team because Chelsea began deceptively brightly with Willian, particularly, worrying Sunderland while also hitting a post with a first-half shot.

At that point Gus Poyet’s players were penned far too deep in their own half but, then, partway through the first half, came one of those moments on which matches can turn.

Liberated by Cesc Fàbregas’s defence-bisecting pass from deep, Costa advanced with menace only to be denied by O’Shea’s excellent, immaculately timed, sliding tackle.

Galvanised by that interception, Santiago Vergini cleverly deceived César Azpilicueta, enabling Jack Rodwell to test Thibaut Courtois from 30 yards. It was a routine save but marked the start of a proper contest.

Poyet could have won prizes for moaning at referees during his days as a Chelsea player, but it was his assistant Mauricio Taricco who incurred Friend’s wrath here. Taricco was ordered down the tunnel, apparently sent off after complaining, somewhat vehemently, about Friend’s decisions to Lee Mason, the fourth official.

More positively, Connor Wickham’s highly effective deployment wide on the home left was giving Bransilav Ivanovic several uncomfortable moments and when Wickham stole in front of the right-back, his resultant cross forced Courtois into an uncharacterstically awkward punch. A little later Vergini met Cattermole’s deflected cross and lifted the ball imperiously over Courtois but also narrowly over the bar.

It was not Mourinho’s only cause for concern on an evening when Costa appeared lucky to escape unpunished after kicking out at O’Shea.

As if taking a growing dislike to the Ireland centre-half was not sufficient the much lauded striker could arguably count himself fortunate not to be sent off after appearing to accidentally on purpose catch Brown in the mouth with a flailing, non-leading arm as the pair challenged for a header.

To considerable local chagrin, Costa was merely booked – and, under the totting up rule, will consequently be suspended for Chelsea’s midweek game against Tottenham. “I don’t know,” said Mourinho when asked if he should have been dismissed. “I’ve been told he was unlucky to get a yellow.”

Desperate to change the direction the game was taking, he subsequently replaced Costa and Oscar with Didier Drogba and Loïc Rémy but still the excellent Cattermole- (Roy Hodgson surely has to issue him an England summons) - kept destroying their previously assured passing rhythm.

When Jozy Altidore’s cross was deflected to Johnson’s feet, time momentarily stood still. It was a highly inviting chance but the winger, on his weaker foot, directed the ensuing shot fractionally the wrong side of a post before covering his face with his hands.

Not that his manager was overly dismayed at the end of an evening that left John Terry bristling with barely concealed aggression. “We need to be pleased with a point,” said Poyet. “We’ve stopped Chelsea scoring for the first time this season. It would have taken something very special from them to beat us.”


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Telegraph:

Sunderland 0 Chelsea 0: Jose Mourinho's team made to look ordinary by dogged Sunderland

Luke Edwards


For the first time this season Chelseadid not look invincible, they looked ordinary. Sunderland offered a timely reminder league titles are never won in the winter.

Chelsea looked tired after the Champions League thrashing of Schalke and they came up against a Sunderland side that got in their faces from the first whistle and did not get out of them again until they lapped up the applause of their supporters after becoming the first team to keep a clean sheet against the league leaders this season.

Chelsea remain unbeaten, but Jose Mourinho’s swaggering side will have to overcome plenty more tests like this between now and May.

“It was a tough game, difficult,” said Mourinho. “There was one team, for sure, that had spent a whole week preparing for this match and thinking only about this match. They had a clear strategy.

“Many people like to criticise defensive teams, but I don’t do that. To be a good defensive team you have to do it well and they did it very well. There are footballing Einsteins out there who don’t believe they should praise defensive teams.

“I praise them for their success in getting the clean sheet and I have no negative words for my players, because they tried everything.

“They were not successful, but at the end of the day I think a point is fair. We are mature and experienced enough to know that every match in this league is difficult and this was especially difficult.”

Indeed, while points were dropped, there are those who will argue this was actually further proof of Chelsea’s title credentials as they came away from a ferocious battle on Wearside with the hardest of earned points.

Others will see it as timely evidence that the title race is not quite the foregone conclusion Mourinho’s side made it look over the first four months of the campaign.

With a little more composure in front of goal, the Black Cats could have won the game. Adam Johnson went close twice in the second half and should have buried the first chance. Santiago Vergini also hit the crossbar in the first half, although Chelsea also hit the post with a Willian shot and Branislav Ivanovic was denied a goal by a good save from Costel Pantilimon.

“I’m realistic and I’m pleased,” said Sunderland manager Gus Poyet. “To have a chance to get something from a team like Chelsea you have to defend well and make it difficult and we did that. We were organised and we kept our shape and I’m happy with the point.”

Sunderland relish these occasions and the finished the game looking like the more likely winners. Poyet rallied against the term “nothing to lose” in his pre-match build up as it suggests losing is an acceptable outcome, but the Black Cats do seem to play better when they are free from the shackles of expectation.

They would not have survived last season without an ability to pull off shock results against the big teams and the 2-1 victory over Chelsea back in April was the springboard that launched them to safety.

Indeed, Sunderland had enjoyed back-to-back victories over Chelsea last season. Whereas most sides would have approached this fixture with sense of foreboding, there was an air of excitement at the Stadium of Light as Poyet tried to become the first manager in English football to beat Jose Mourinho three times in a row.

Sunderland were brave. The home crowd screamed for blue blood to be spilt and the players responded. Chelsea, though, have steel to go with their finesse, although Diego Costa was a little too keen to be confrontational in the heat of battle.

He was fortunate, despite Mourinho’s disdain when questioned about it in his post-match press conference, not to be shown a red card for kicking out at O’Shea following a robust tackle.

Costa did not cool down at half-time and he could have been shown a red card at the start of the second half too as he swung a forearm into the face of Wes Brown when, ostensibly competing for a header.

There may well have been a degree of provocation, verbal and physical and centre-forward like Costa, who picked up a yellow card, cannot allow themselves to be bullied, but his behaviour here was bordering on stupid.

Mourinho decided he had seen enough, replacing him with Loic Remy with 15 minutes remaining, while Didier Drogba came on for Oscar.

Chelsea needed their substitutes to produce something special, and Drogba went close with a sharp turn and shot before Jozy Altidore almost bundled the ball in at the other end. Johnson missed an even better one moments later, dragging a loose ball inside the area wide. He almost made amends with a run and shot but it bounced narrowly wide.



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Times:

Sunderland frustrate Chelsea in testing stalemate

Sunderland 0 Chelsea 0

George Caulkin


Whatever else this was, it was difficult to portray it as a shock. Where Chelsea are concerned, Sunderland have history, a knack of causing annoyance and disappointment, emotions which been felt scarcely under José Mourinho - and more rarely still this season - and although the latest instalment was less traumatic and dramatic than the previous two, once again, they knew they had been tested.

Such is their supremacy at the top of the table that dropping points in the Barclays Premier League for only the third time this season hardly represents a cause of Chelsea despair - Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Swansea City have all drawn at the Stadium of Light - but they have never previously failed to score. For that and for a vivid performance of energy and defiance, Sunderland should be praised.

For Chelsea, it might have been worse. In April, it was these opponents who had ended Mourinho’s sequence of 77 home league games without defeat, putting a heavy dent in their title challenge. Four months earlier, Sunderland had knocked them out of the Capital One Cup, eventually reaching Wembley, and a third thunderbolt was never entirely out of the question. Under pressure and hard-working, it was not the “perfection” which Mourinho has spoken about.

Deeper than the North Sea when the game began, Sunderland became more expansive as a niggly afternoon matured. Gustavo Poyet’s players retreated to the fringes of their own penalty area for much of the first-half and although there were moments when the policy appeared a perilous one - a shot from Oscar which was deflected and then saved, Willian’s long-range drive which Costel Pantilimon feathered onto his right post - they stuck to it with rigour.

There was a fine saving tackle from John O’Shea when Diego Costa ran onto a delicious, defence-splitting pass from Cesc Fàbregas but, for the most part, Sunderland resembled an impenetrable barrier. Lee Cattermole was inspired in front of his back-four, intercepting passes, breaking up attacks and succeeding in staying on the right side of Kevin Friend, the referee, who otherwise did little to endear himself to home supporters.

It was that kind of occasion; spiky and feisty, with lenient, if erratic, refereeing. There would be one dismissal in the 30th minute, when Mauricio Taricco, Poyet’s assistant, was dispatched to the stands for arguing with Friend and Lee Mason, the fourth official, but Costa would prove the main beneficiary, with the centre-forward fortunate to remain on the pitch after a pair of challenges on Sunderland defenders.

Shortly before the interval, Costa and O’Shea tussled near the dug-outs and although the Ireland defender merited punishment when he hooked his boot around the striker’s shin as he strained for the ball, forcing him to the ground, the reaction was unfortunate. Costa was furious, lifting both his feet towards O’Shea, who may have saved him a card by turning swiftly and trotting back to his position. No action was taken against either man.

Costa was finally cautioned - the first of the match - when he and Wes Brown jumped for a high ball and he caught the centre-half in the face with his trailing arm. The 26-year-old indicated afterwards that the action of jumping had been natural and the consequences unavoidable - not that the crowd were placated by that - but he will miss Chelsea’s home match against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

If Costa’s irritability was a result of frustration, then it was understandable. Having dominated possession, Chelsea had lost their way as a coherent force and although there would be one more excellent chance when Branislav Ivanovic drove a shot across the face of goal and Pantilimon used his legs to prod it away for a corner, they struggled to get behind Sunderland in a meaningful way.

At the other end, Sunderland were not barren. Jack Rodwell shot straight at Thibaut Courtois, Santiago Vergini found the crossbar on the half-volley when Cattermole’s effort was nicked into his path and Connor Wickham, who played with endeavour on the left - shot with power from 19 yards. Mourinho made changes, with Loïc Rémyand Didier Drogba joining the fray and the latter dragged one shot wide, but there would be two late, unconverted opportunities for Adam Johnson.

Sunderland are now unbeaten in four matches and in 13th place; in another season of high turnover and transition, they will accept that. This was committed and well-organised, both of which should be building blocks.



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Mail:

Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea: Diego Costa lucky to escape red

By Nick Harris

Sunderland could not quite put the Black Cats among the pigeons in the title race by defeating Chelsea, who emerged from this stalemate still top of the Premier League, unbeaten and on course to be ‘Invincible’ this season.

But the hosts did, with great resilience, show that the London club are not unstoppable and, in doing so, gave a glimmer of hope to challengers that the season is not blue all over just yet.

Sunderland’s manager Gus Poyet pulled no punches in his programme notes about the disparity in quality between the teams. ‘Everybody knows that Chelsea are better than us technically, physically and mentally,’ he wrote.

He added that, ‘you need to compensate for that with the team performance’.

And he knows what he is talking about. Sunderland beat Mourinho’s Chelsea in the clubs’ last two meetings. They inflicted Chelsea’s last defeat, at Stamford Bridge in the league in April and Sunderland also won the meeting before, a home game in the League Cup last December.

The visitors poured forward from the first whistle and it was clear that Poyet’s game-plan was rooted in containment and counter-attacks. The first six minutes exemplified this with Chelsea pressure then a break ending in Seb Larsson setting up Connor Wickham, whose shot was blocked. Cue the next period of pressure, with the three-man line of Willian, Oscar and Eden Hazard playing behind Costa and revolving their chances. A Willian cross came pinging in. Santiago Vergini side-footed it out. Hazard shot over the bar. Oscar crossed, low and to the centre, Sunderland cleared.

Oscar then shot low from the D, the ball deflected and Costel Pantilimon dived to save. Costa ran the ball into the box and worked it to Willian, whose right-foot shot hit the post.

Occasionally Sunderland got away, Wickham smacking over the bar, Jack Rodwell shooting from distance. And then the blue waves came again.

The sturdy home defending should not have been such a shock. Take away the 8-0 drubbing by Southampton and, before Saturday, Sunderland had conceded just 11 goals - the second-lowest tally in the division.

John O’Shea’s perfectly timed tackle on Costa to cut off the clear and present danger from a beautiful through ball from Cesc Fabregas was symbolic of the defiance and application.

Again Chelsea pressed. The pre-match talk was about whether Chelsea can be invincible all season, as only Preston in 1888-89 and Arsenal in 2003-04 have ever been in England’s top division. They certainly have match-winners in all areas.

Nemanja Matic surged forward, one shot blocked and then one missed. Then Hazard, Oscar and Costa all had shots blocked. As the intensity of the occasion reached the sidelines, referee Kevin Friend sent Poyet’s assistant Mauricio Taricco to the stands. Play resumed with Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic having a shot blocked by Pantilimon. And then Sunderland came the closest either side came to scoring in the first half.

Lee Cattermole fed Vergini, whose chip from inside the area clipped the bar and tipped over the top. With the home fans urging them on, Sunderland pushed on again.

The longer Chelsea went without scoring, the more Costa became frustrated and tetchy. Late in the first half, after a tangle with O’Shea, he kicked out. That he missed his target is irrelevant and he was fortunate not to be booked.

He did, however, receive a yellow card in the 55th minute for knocking Wes Brown in the face with his trailing arm while jumping.

The chances continued to be created by Chelsea and thwarted. Hazard: blocked. Fabregas: saved. Costa: blocked.

Poyet then made a double substitution to inject fresh legs into his tiring team, Jozy Altidore replacing Steve Fletcher and Jordi Gomez on for Rodwell. Sunderland pushed forward, Wickham’s shot in testing Thibaut Courtois.

Altidore also proved a handful, running at Chelsea late on and having a shot deflected into Adam Johnson’s path with six minutes left. Johnson could only hit his own effort wide of the target.

Sunderland: (4-1-4-1): Pantilimon 6; Vergini 7, Brown 6.5, O’Shea 7, Reveillere 7; Cattermole 7.5; Johnson 5, Larsson 6.5, Rodwell 6.5 (Gomez 6, 62'), Wickham 7; Fletcher 6 (Altidore 6, 62').

Subs (not used): Mannone, Bridcutt, Alvarez, Coates, Buckley.

Booked: O'Shea, Vergini, Gomez
 
Chelsea: (4-2-3-1): Courtois 6; Ivanovic 6, Cahill 6, Terry 6.5, Azpilicueta 6.5; Fabregas 6, Matic 6.5, Willian 7 (Schurrle 85'), Oscar 5.5 (Remy 6, 76'), Hazard 6; Diego Costa 5.5 (Drogba 6, 76')

Subs (not used): Cech, Luis, Zouma, Mikel.

Booked: Costa, Matic
 
Referee: Kevin Friend

Attendance: 45,232



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Mirror:

Premier League leaders frustrated at the Stadium of Light

Colin Young

Jose Mourinho's men had a frustrating evening in the North East and had to settle for just a point after coming up against a scrappy Black Cats side

Even Jose knows there can be nights like this.

A night with the Wearside fog rolling into the Stadium of Light, with Sunderland’s battle-hardened troops prepared to scrap for every ball for 90 minutes.

It’s a night even would-be title winners need their best players at their best and as Jose knows only too well, Chelsea didn’t really turn up last night.

Diego Costa, starved of service and frustrated, lost his duel with Sunderland captain John O’Shea, and picked up a fifth league booking of the season which rules him out of the midweek clash at Spurs.

And the Spanish striker was fortunate not to be dismissed for a kick at the Irishman, and an elbow to Wes Brown’s head, deemed accidental by referee Kevin Friend.

They did make a bright start but two saves from Sunderland keeper Costel Pantilimon denied Chelsea from launching a complete onslaught in the opening 20 minutes.

The giant former Manchester City stopper, just four games into his Sunderland career as the popular Vito Mannone’s stand-in, used fingertips and feet to deny Willian and Branislav Ivanovic.

The Romanian hardly appeared to have made a touch at all to Willian’s 20-yard effort in the 16th minute, which was the visitors’ first real effort on goal.

But in fact the faintest of touches from Pantilimon’s gloves knocked the ball on to the post on the third bounce. Friend didn’t give Pantilimon the deserved credit and awarded a goal-kick.

Willian turned provider four minutes later when he clocked Ivanovic’s run into the Sunderland area but the full-back’s low drive was knocked behind by Pantilimon’s right leg.

Although the home side looked set for 90 minutes encamped in their own half, and particularly near the 18-yard line, they had their own chances too.

Jack Rodwell and Adam Johnson both fired in long distance efforts which Thibaut Courtois grabbed comfortably.

But the Chelsea number one was left flailing his arms in mid-air when Lee Cattermole’s deft pass created an opening for Santiago Vergini.

North East player of the year Cattermole clipped a neat pass in front of goal, probably not expecting the Argentine defender to be Sunderland’s most advanced player, rather than strikers Connor Wickham or Steven Fletcher.

Unfortunately for the home side, it was Vergini and he turned and crashed his instinctive shot against the bar and over, failing to break his Sunderland duck in the process.

Although no doubt delighted to head into the break goalless, Sunderland and their supporters were unhappy with referee Friend as he headed for the tunnel.

The official sent off Gus Poyet’s assistant Mauricio Taricco after fourth official Lee Mason lost patience with the former Spurs midfielder following almost 20-minute of non-stop abuse and moaning.

Friend hardly helped himself with a number of strange decisions against the home side.

He also missed a blatant kick out at O’Shea from an otherwise quiet Diego Costa as the pair tangled on the ground. Costa appeared to lash out after the Irishman’s firm diving tackle, but Friend chose to reprimand both players with a lecture rather than issue any cards.

The mood of home supporters did not improve before the hour when Friend did show his first card of the night.

They still felt Costa escaped a red card for elbowing Wes Brown although the Spanish striker appeared to catch the veteran centre-back with his flailing arm accidentally.

For all he was gaining the attention of home fans for the wrong reasons, Diego Costa struggled to make any in-roads on the Sunderland goal, mainly due to the attention of former Manchester United title winning pair Brown and O’Shea.

The visitors’ second half efforts came from Gary Cahill, who headed straight at Pantilimon, Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic who shot straight at the Sunderland keeper from distance.

The best effort came from Willian, their best player on the night, who found a little space but hit his rising shot behind.

And for all Chelsea’s dominance Sunderland could and should have won it five minutes from time but Adam Johnson mis-hit his bouncing shot from the edge of the area following Jozy Altidore’s bustling endeavours, and it flew wide.

A few minutes later, with Chelsea in disarray, Johnson was much nearer from much further away. But his shot hit the turf, beat Courtois and also flew wide as it ended goalless.

Ratings

•Sunderland: Pantilimon 7, Vergini 7, O’Shea 8, Brown 7, Reveillere 6, Cattermole 7, Johnson 6, Larsson 6, Rodwell 5 (Gomez 63, 6), Wickham 5, Fletcher 5 (Altidore 63, 5).
•Booked: O’Shea.

•Chelsea: Courtois 7, Ivanovic 6, Cahill 7, Terry 6, Azpilicueta 6, Matic 7, Fabregas 6, Hazard 6, Oscar 6 (Drogba 77, 6), Willian 8, Diego Costa 6 (Remy 77, 6).
•Booked: Diego Costa.

Referee: Kevin Friend. Busy night for Friend who sent off Mauricio Taricco and could easily have done the same to Diego Costa. Twice.

Colin Young's Verdict

Although Chelsea never looked in any trouble against a determined Sunderland side,they didn’t play well enough to claim all three points either. Too many players off form for Mourinho’s liking, the same can’t be said of a Sunderland who need to replicate this performance against Manchester City on Wednesday.

Man of the Match: John O’Shea


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Express:

Sunderland 0 - Chelsea 0:

Blues fail to break down Black Cats as Costa escapes red card

Clive Hetherington


Sunderland boss Poyet was chasing a third successive win in all competitions against his old club - and he came desperately close.

Only Manchester City and Man United had denied Jose Mourinho's side victory in the league this season before this game.

But it's now 13 league matches unbeaten from the start of the season for the leaders - and 20 without defeat in all this term.

Chelsea lost to Sunderland here in the Capital One Cup and at Stamford Bridge, where the Black Cats inflicted the only home Premier League defeat Mourinho has suffered.

It is almost a year since Chelsea won 4-3 on Wearside in the league and they sounded an early warning to Sunderland with Tuesday's emphatic 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Schalke in Gelsenkirchen.

Mourinho kept faith with the line-up he sent out for that encounter, but former Chelsea star Poyet resisted the temptation to name an unchanged side for the first time this term, dropping midfielder Jordi Gomez to the bench in favour of Jack Rodwell.

Chelsea were quick to settle into their passing game, but Connor Wickham threatened for Sunderland with an ambitious, curling effort that was high and wide.

The visitors, though, continued to dominate possession in the early stages. Eden Hazard fired wide before Oscar forced keeper Costel Pantilimon to save low to his left.

Black Cats skipper John O'Shea made a magnificent, last-ditch tackle to deny Diego Costa as the Spain frontman attempted to make the most of Cesc Fabregas' superb delivery.

Rodwell drove from distance, but straight down the throat of keeper Thibaut Courtois, as Sunderland returned the pressure.

Courtois had to stretch to palm away Wickham's left-wing cross before Adam Johnson was penalised for handball as he saw a shot blocked. Referee Kevin Friend then marched over to the home dugout on the half-hour to send Sunderland No 2 Mauricio Taricco to the stand.

The incident had echoes of Chelsea assistant coach Rui Faria's furious banishment by Mike Dean when the sides met at Chelsea last season.

Pantilimon did well to save with a foot from Branislav Ivanovic before Sunderland hit the woodwork themselves. Lee Cattermole's ball was deflected to right-back Santiago Vergini, who lifted it on to the bar.

There was a flashpoint just before the break when Friend spoke to Costa and O'Shea after the Chelsea man kicked out at the Sunderland centre-back as they tangled on the ground.

Costa was booked on 54 minutes for flooring Wes Brown with a flailing arm that caught the Sunderland defender full in the face.

The home fans were baying for a red card, but the yellow is enough to rule him out of Wednesday's home game with Tottenham.

O'Shea was cautioned in his running battle with Costa, who reacted and was immediately brought off by Mourinho.

Sunderland sub Jozy Altidore forced Courtois to save with a leg in a desperate 82nd-minute goalmouth scramble before Johnson scuffed a shot wide three minutes later.

And Johnson then came agonisingly close when he drove narrowly wide in a rousing finale.


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Star:

Sunderland 0 - Chelsea 0: Gus Poyet's men frustrate Blues at the Stadium of Light

Clive Hetherington

The Sunderland boss was chasing a third successive win in all competitions against his old club – and he came desperately close.

Only Manchester City and Man United had denied Jose Mourinho’s side victory in the league this season before this game.

But it is now 13 league matches unbeaten from the start of the season for the leaders – and 20 without defeat in all this term.

Chelsea had plenty of problems with Sunderland last season, losing to them here in the Capital One Cup and at Stamford Bridge, where the Black Cats inflicted the only home Premier League defeat Mourinho has ever suffered.

That dealt a crushing blow to the Blues’ title bid but a revamped Chelsea are in the mood to make up for the dissappointment of the last campaign this time around.

The visitors dominated the possession in the early stages. Eden Hazard fired wide before Oscar forced keeper Costel Pantilimon to save low to his left.

But Sunderland escaped on 17 minutes when Willian’s shot appeared to be touched on to a post by Pantilimon – with no corner given.

Black Cats skipper John O’Shea made a magnificent last-ditch tackle to deny Diego Costa as the Spain frontman attempted to make the most of Cesc Fabregas’ superb delivery.

Referee Kevin Friend then marched over to the home dugout on the half-hour to send Sunderland No.2 Mauricio Taricco to the stand.

Pantilimon did well to save with a foot from Branislav Ivanovic before Sunderland hit the woodwork themselves. Lee Cattermole’s ball was deflected to right-back Santiago Vergini, who lifted it on to the bar.

There was a flashpoint just before the break when Friend spoke toCosta and O’Shea after the Chelsea man kicked out at the Sunderland centre-back as they tangled on the ground.

Early in the second half, Willian shifted the ball swiftly on the right to buy himself room for a shot which flew wide of the near post.

Costa was booked on 54 minutes for flooring Wes Brown with a flailing arm that caught the defender full in the face.The home fans were baying for a red card, but the yellow is enough to rule him out of Wednesday’s home game with Tottenham.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said: “I didn’t see it. But the referee was close and he had a very good performance throughout. If I see the incident on television I might have a better opinion.

“It’s a point. It was a difficult match. Only one team tried to win from the beginning, the other team didn’t. They defended a lot and they defended well. Defending a lot and well is not a crime. It is a strategy and it was successful for them. We were a bit tired towards the end and we left a bit of space.

"But I’ve got nothing negative to say about my team. It’s not easy to play here and not easy to play against a side which has had all week to prepare. My players tried everything to win but we couldn’t.”

O’Shea was cautioned in his running battle with Costa who reacted and was immediately brought off by Mourinho.

Sunderland’s inspiring skipper, Lee Cattermole, said: “All season we have been in control of our game.

“The media has been negative to us but other than the heavy defeat at Southampton and the Arsenal game, we’ve been solid.

“If we could turn a few draws into wins we’d be much higher in the table.”


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