Resilient Sunderland hold Chelsea to draw

A resilient Sunderland held Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea to a scoreless draw at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League.

Chelsea dominated possession in the first half, playing with the certainty of a side that was unchanged for the third successive game.

Much of the half saw Chelsea camped outside the Sunderland box, who were happy to sit deep, but both sides hit the woodwork.

Willian fizzed a shot from distance against the post, and halfway through the half Santiago Vergini flicked a deflected cross against the crossbar.

The game became bad tempered as Sunderland assistant manager Mauricio Taricco was sent off for repeated dissent, and Diego Costa could also have gone for aiming two feet at John O’Shea’s face after a rough tackle.

The second half gave much of the same. Chelsea pressed and switched play with short passes, but Sunderland defended with focus and occasionally hit forward on the break.

Sunderland went closest to goal, with Connor Wickham bringing a save from Thibaut Courtois and Adam Johnson dragging a shot just side.

Chelsea eventually replaced Costa, who was lucky to stay on with a flailing arm into Wes Brown’s face, but could not break down a resilient Sunderland.

17’ - WILLIAN SHOT - Willian has room on the edge of the box as Sunderland sit off him. He drills a shot along the ground that bounces off the near post.

30’ - TARICCO SENT OFF - Mauricio Taricco has been sent off to the stands for repetitive dissent.

31’ - PANTILIMON SAVE - Ivanovic goes close. He receives a flicked ball forward from Willian into the box, and he drills his shot at Pantilimon. The ball is over for a corner.

34’ - VIRGINI HITS THE BAR - Larsson's free kick is aimed to the back post, but it drops to the floor and is cleared. The ball is worked wide by Sunderland. Cattermole's cross is deflected into the path of Vergini in the box, and he fires the ball at the crossbar.

45’ - SENDING OFF? O'Shea and Costa both receive a talking too. O'Shea went roughly into Diego Costa, who then tried to kick him in the face with both his feet. He could have been sent off or booked.

55’ - COSTA YELLOW - Costa is booked as he jumps towards Brown for a ball, then fairly obviously continues to swing his right arm into Brown's face. He could have seen red, and should have if he'd been booked for an earlier offence. He really is an excellent footballer and a really tedious human.

72’ - WICKHAM SHOT - Cattermole finds Wickham on the left. He plays a one-two, moves inside and curls a shot at goal that Courtois does well to bring down.

85’ - JOHNSON MISS - Altidore drives a shot at goal that bounces off a defender, falls to Johnson, and he drags his shot just wide.

Manchester United and Sunderland are the only teams to take points off Chelsea in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea have won 18 of the last 20 Premier League meetings with Sunderland.

Sunderland had lost their last nine Premier League home games against Chelsea before this match.

Diego Costa has scored 11 goals in 11 Premier League appearances after failing to score today.

Will Costa push things too far? He probably should have been sent off for lashing out at John O’Shea in the first half, and really should have gone after whacking his arm into Wes Brown. Regardless, his fifth booking sees him suspended for the Spurs game. Now, Chelsea have enough in reserve to cope with his absence from the start of the match, but this is the first match where Costa was the one provoked rather than provoking. Other sides will note this and look to create a numerical advantage during a game - at that point, Chelsea’s squad depth is less useful.

John O’Shea (Sunderland): A central defender’s job is to defend, so as impressive as it is for Sunderland to take a point today, a lot of that was from the rest of the side compromising their ambitions. For O’Shea, though, it was doing his job excellently. He rarely gave Costa space, and almost goaded him into a sending off with some heavy challenges where he got the chance. This was one of his best performances for Sunderland.

Sunderland: Pantilimon 6, Vergini 6, O’Shea 8, Brown 7, Reveillere 6, Larsson 6, Cattermole 7, Rodwell 5, Johnson 5, Fletcher 6, Wickham 6. Subs: Gomez 6, Altidore 6.

Chelsea: Courtois 7, Ivanovic 6, Cahill 7, Terry 6, Azpilicueta 6, Matic 6, Fabregas 6, Willian 6, Oscar 5, Hazard 6, Diego Costa 6. Subs: Schurrle 6, Remy 6, Drogba 6.