Sunderland became the first play-off-winning promoted team to win away against a top-half side since Brentford’s victory at Chelsea in April 2022.

The Black Cats have enjoyed a dream start to the season after gaining promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

Sunderland’s incredible start to 2025/26: What to know ??

• Second in the Premier League after winning at Chelsea
• Best start by a promoted team since 2008
• Niche record with rivals Newcastle United
• Position in the table “well earned”

Sunderland are flying high in second place in the Premier Leagueafter beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, their highest position in the top flight for almost 25 years.

They have 17 points from a possible 27, and only Manchester City (6) and Arsenal (3) have conceded fewer (7) goals in the 2025/26 Premier League.

Regis Le Bris has done a fantastic job and we are delighted to see promoted teams put up an actual fight after the last six sides went straight back down to the Championship.

To say Sunderland are merely ‘putting up a fight’ would be a disservice to them. They’re doing more than that and upstaging fellow promotees Leeds United and Burnley, who are also showing more promise than the awful six that preceded them.

READ:?Sunderland expose uninspiring Chelsea – and Premier League’s coasters like Fulham

The best statistics from Sunderland beating Chelsea ??

As we’ve said, sides promoted to the Premier League in recent seasons have massively struggled.

That fact is underlined by Sunderland being the first play-off-winning Premier League team to win away against a side in the top half since April 2022, when Chelseawere on the wrong end of another dramatic comeback.

Winners on that day were Brentford, who came from behind to win 4-1 at Stamford Bridge. Nottingham Forest, Luton Town and Southampton never managed it in the last three seasons, respectively.

Southampton didn’t even beat a top-half team at home last term, let alone on the road.

Fair play to Sunderland, who were deserved winners against an uninspired Blues side. Their wonderful resilience has been on show all season but Saturday’s win could be the best example of their character yet.

Indeed, no club has picked up more points from losing positions this season (seven), while Chelsea have dropped more from winning positions (eight) than anyone else.

Their ability to fight back has been helped by the options that Regis Le Bris has on his bench. They have scored three goals via substitutes, with Chemsdine Talbi scoring the winner after coming on in the 65th minute. Only Brighton (six) have more.

Sitting high in second place with 17 points is the most a promoted team has accumulated at this stage of a Premier League season since Hull City in 2008/09.

Here are some more fun statistics for Sunderland fans to enjoy:

• Sunderland’s first Premier League win at Chelsea since April 2014, when they ended Jose Mourinho’s 77-game unbeaten home run.
• 17 points is their highest total after nine games of a Premier League season.
• For the first time in Premier League history, both Sunderland and Newcastle scored 90th-minute winners on the same day.

Pundits react to sensational Sunderland win against Chelsea ???

Sunderland are massively exceeding expectations, and Michael Carrick thinks anyone who says they predicted this is lying.

“Anyone who is honest enough will say that they never expected Sunderland to start this well, so full credit to them.

“The amount of points they have accumulated already has given them an unbelievable start and that’s something they will want to build on. They looked quite comfortable and calm for long periods, but also looked dangerous. They just kept that belief to get the win.

“It’s a textbook away win at an, arguably, bigger team.”

Ashley Williams was full of praise.

“I thought Sunderland fully deserved their win.

“For a team that won promotion last season they were set up brilliantly.

“They were solid but played with a real belief that they could get something. I was really impressed with their attitude.

“Sunderland had a clear plan and they were confident it would work. In the end it did.”

Former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell thinks Sunderland’s form can continue.

“Chelsea just couldn’t break down that Sunderland red and white wall.

“They were phenomenal defensively this afternoon, they really were. The units from the defence to the midfield to the front line were absolutely superb. They had the quality and composure to go and find the winner.

“Sunderland have great personality – this could be a really great season for them.”

And Troy Deeney is confident that Sunderland’s strong start to the campaign has been “well earned”.

“It’s an unbelievable start and one that’s been well earned.

“I thought the amount of work they’ve done, the lack of emotional intelligence they showed because most teams when they come up stick with the players that got them up but Sunderland were ruthless.

“They changed the goalkeeper and more or less every single player and said we will try and stay up and to be second in this moment in time, not only will they have belief they can stay up but they’ll think, ‘do you reckon we can get in the top 10’. And if you said that a couple of month ago Sunderland fans would tell you you’re crazy.”

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