Published: 02:00, 29 October 2025 | Updated: 02:00, 29 October 2025

Sunderland had not started a game of football with a back five this season. Enzo Maresca knows this, because in preparation for their Premier League visit to take on his Chelsea side at the weekend, he watched back all nine fixtures they had played in all competitions in 2025-26.

Sure, they had switched to that system for the last 10 minutes when they had the odd lead to defend, but never from the beginning. Then, they turned up at Stamford Bridge.

Regis Le Bris’ line-up dropped at 1.45pm. Maresca was in his coaches’ office at the back of the changing room at the time, also used as the debrief bunker where he and Chelsea’s hierarchy including co-owner Behdad Eghbali hold meetings after every home match.

The team sheet told Maresca that Sunderland were set to start with a back five for the first time when all his preparations had centred on the visitors fielding a back four.

Maresca called a team meeting. He had 10 minutes until the players needed to leave to...