Former Bayern Munich and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves believes Chelsea are suffering from a lack of leadership and experience, following their disappointing 2–1 home loss to Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Blues initially went ahead through Alejandro Garnacho, but Sunderland produced a strong comeback, with Wilson Isidor and Chemsdine Talbi finding the back of the net to secure a dramatic victory at Stamford Bridge.
Assessing Chelsea’s struggles, Hargreaves stressed that the youthful squad lacks a seasoned player capable of influencing tense moments and helping the team close out difficult matches.
“Chelsea need a Xhaka-type [experienced Sunderland midfielder] in there. If they did, they wouldn’t have lost that game today,” he said.
He further argued that without reliable veteran presence, Chelsea cannot realistically be considered among the contenders for the Premier League title this season.
Enzo Maresca’s team remains one of the youngest in the league, with 28-year-old Tosin Adarabioyo currently the oldest player in the squad.
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