Alonso says Chelsea should ignore table before Sunderland
Xabi Alonso says it is too early to read into the Premier League table as Chelsea prepare to face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
· Kickhell
Chelsea head to the Stadium of Light on Sunday for a Premier League fixture against Sunderland, and head coach Xabi Alonso says it is too early to draw conclusions from the league standings.
The Blues sit fourth after nine matches, with 16 points and a chance to move up to third with a win. Sunderland are bottom and have won just one league game in the 2026/27 season.
Alonso dismissed the significance of the table when asked about Chelsea's position at his pre-match press conference. “The table means not too much because that can change so much in one week, in two games,” Alonso said. “We are taking a step forward, I think, with the ball, against the ball, being more solid.”
He added that Sunderland are a tough opponent and that Chelsea know what it takes to win at their ground. “The table doesn’t matter. I think that they deserve more points than they’ve got and it's going to be a tough away game.”
The focus for Alonso and his players is building the consistency and momentum needed to challenge at the top of the table by May. Chelsea follow up a 2-0 victory over Manchester United last week with a chance to win back-to-back league games.
