Owen Hargreaves has heaped praise on Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and hailed the club’s passionate supporters after their stunning 2–1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking after the match, the former Manchester United and England midfielder highlighted the club’s smart recruitment under Speakman’s guidance and the energy of the travelling fans, both of which he believes are driving Sunderland’s remarkable start to life back in the Premier League.
“They’ve got some of the best fans around,” Hargreaves said. “Sunderland have built an exciting young team — look at Tabi, only 20, with Champions League experience, scoring the winner today. Then there’s Sadiki, another 20-year-old with huge potential. These players didn’t cost massive fees, but they can already compete at this level. Whoever’s responsible for finding them deserves a lot of credit — the recruitment has been outstanding.”
The result marked Sunderland’s first victory at Stamford Bridge in over a decade, sparking jubilant celebrations in the away end. “Those Sunderland fans will be buzzing,” Hargreaves added. “It’s a long journey back to the North East — about five hours on the coach — but they’ll enjoy every minute of it. It’ll feel like they’ve just won a cup final.”
The win lifted the Black Cats to second place in the Premier League table with 17 points from nine games, cementing their place among the early-season surprise packages and highlighting the success of Speakman’s long-term project at the club.
Former Premier League striker Glenn Murray also praised Sunderland’s display, describing their performance as “tactically perfect.” He said: “It was a fully deserved win. Sunderland were superb from start to finish. The game plan was spot on — they absorbed pressure, transitioned quickly, and punished Chelsea when it mattered. With a new group of players, it’s impressive how well-drilled they already are. You can see the work being done on the training ground.”
On the other hand, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca admitted his side came up short and accepted that Sunderland were the better team. The Blues had taken an early lead through Alejandro Garnacho, but goals from Wilson Isidor and late hero Chemsdine Talbi turned the game around.
“We just weren’t good enough,” Maresca said afterwards. “In the Premier League, when that happens, you get punished. The second goal was poor defending — it’s a simple long ball, 2-v-1, and we didn’t deal with it. The first came from a throw-in where they overloaded the box. We lacked creativity and didn’t make the most of our possession. When we got into good areas, our final ball wasn’t there.”
The defeat leaves Chelsea searching for consistency, while Sunderland continue to defy expectations — combining shrewd recruitment, fearless young talent, and the unwavering support of one of English football’s most loyal fanbases.