Xhaka injury scare overshadows Sunderland's win over Chelsea

Sunday 8 November 2026 · 18:02 UK time

Sunderland beat Chelsea but the result was overshadowed by an early injury blow to Granit Xhaka, who had been strongly linked with a summer move to Stamford Bridge.

In the build-up, the Sunderland Echo reported Régis Le Bris had given a "superb" assessment of Xhaka's commitment to the club ahead of the Chelsea clash, while Trai Hume addressed the transfer speculation and acknowledged fans' frustration following Sunderland's defeat to Dinamo in midweek (Sunderland Echo). Robin Roefs also spoke out before the game, admitting the team had "lost its identity" but insisting the squad remained fully behind Le Bris (Sunderland Echo).

Once the match got underway, though, the Xhaka talk turned from his future to his fitness. Chronicle Live reported that Xhaka was forced off injured after just three minutes, calling it a "nightmare" start for Sunderland (Chronicle Live). The Northern Echo carried a similar injury update, with Le Bris explaining the "danger" that had been sensed with Xhaka early in the game (Northern Echo).

Despite losing Xhaka so early, Sunderland got the job done. The Sunderland Echo reports that the Black Cats secured their second Premier League win of the season by beating Chelsea, with Le Bris afterwards explaining both the reasoning behind the Xhaka substitution and the message he delivered to his players after the final whistle (Sunderland Echo).

For Sunderland supporters it will be a mixed bag to reflect on: the satisfaction of a league win over Chelsea after a difficult week that included the Dinamo defeat, tempered by concern over how serious the Xhaka issue might be. With Le Bris keen to stress unity in the camp beforehand, all eyes will now be on further updates regarding Xhaka's fitness in the days ahead.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.