Danny Welbeck banging on Xabi Alonso's door after Chelsea teammate's rotten display vs Sunderland

Welbeck remains unused as Alonso experiments with Neto at striker; Chelsea's attack misfires in Sunderland draw with makeshift forward.

Chelsea struggled against Sunderland with Joao Pedro sidelined, and manager Xabi Alonso's decision to deploy Pedro Neto as a makeshift centre-forward backfired. Neto won just one of three ground duels and recorded zero touches in the opposition box, the fewest of any Chelsea starter, making it easy for Sunderland's physical approach to neutralise him. Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers were unusually quiet as a result of the poor link-up play.

Danny Welbeck and young Emmanuel Emegha were available alternatives but were overlooked. Alonso's experiment has now failed twice in consecutive matches. With Pedro's return date uncertain—possibly only after the international break for a Leeds fixture—Chelsea face another physical opponent and cannot afford to repeat the Neto gamble, leaving Welbeck or Emegha as the only realistic options.