Mikel: Chelsea should have won against Sunderland

Nigerian international John Mikel Obi felt Chelsea paid the price for not taking their opportunities in Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Sunderland.

Having led 2-1 at the break courtesy of goals by Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic, the Blues headed home with nothing after Sam Allardyce’s side scored twice in a three-minute second-half spell.

“We started the game well and for the first 30 to 35 minutes we had control and we were playing well,” said Mikel. “We were creating chances, moving the ball quickly and players wanted to get involved.

“In the second half we came out and we wanted to carry on where left off but we didn’t kill the game when we had the chances to do it. Then Ivanovic went down, the referee didn’t blow the whistle, we stopped a little and they scored the second goal. From then, they had some momentum, they built on that and got the third goal.’

The Nigerian believes Sunderland were helped by a sell-out crowd at the Stadium of Light, but remains convinced we should have won the game.

“Their fans were on top of them and supporting them, and rightly so because they have to save their Premier League status,” he said.

“They came out to fight and play. But if we killed the game when we had the chances and opportunities I don’t think they would have come back into the game.”