Chelsea supporters were left furious after a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Sunderland on Sunday, with two controversial penalty decisions dominating the aftermath at the Stadium.

Enzo Le Fée's 36th-minute spot-kick proved decisive as Sunderland secured three points and climbed off the bottom of the table. However, Chelsea felt they should have been awarded a penalty earlier when Cole Palmer went down under a challenge from Luke O'Nien.

The decisions, separated by around 12 minutes, sparked accusations of inconsistency among Blues supporters, particularly after Levi Colwill was penalised for his challenge on Brian Brobbey at the other end.

Why The Two Penalty Decisions Caused Controversy

Chelsea's first major complaint came in the 24th minute when Palmer drove towards Sunderland's penalty area and went down under challenges from substitute Jules Ahoka and O'Nien.

Referee Jarred Gillett waved play on despite Palmer's protests. Replays appeared to show O'Nien making contact with the Chelsea forward without getting the ball, but the Premier League's VAR review focused on where the contact occurred.

The Premier League Match Centre subsequently confirmed the on-field decision, with VAR Nick Hopton explaining:

“Confirming the on-field decision of play on, any contact with Palmer occurs outside the penalty area.”

Palmer's momentum carried him into the box before he fell, but officials judged that the relevant contact had taken place outside it. The decision stood, leaving Chelsea without the penalty they wanted.

Chelsea's frustration grew 12 minutes later when Sunderland were awarded a penalty at the opposite end.

Brobbey turned away from Colwill and attempted to drive into the penalty area, with both players holding each other's shirts during the challenge. The Sunderland striker went down, and Gillett immediately pointed to the spot.

Chelsea's players protested that Brobbey had also pulled Colwill's shirt, but the decision stood. Le Fée stepped forward and converted past Mike Penders to give Sunderland the lead.

Former Premier League referee Darren Cann supported Gillett's decision when discussing the incident with BBC Sport.

“Brobbey and Levi Colwill were tussling outside the box, and then it appeared there was lower leg contact on Brobbey which brought him down,” Cann said.

“Gillett was in the perfect position to see the infringement and award the penalty.”

Chelsea's official match report acknowledged the frustration, noting that the club could have received a penalty before Le Fée scored. It also recognised that both players had been holding each other's shirts during the second incident.

Why Chelsea Fans Feel Robbed

The two decisions quickly became the main talking point among Chelsea supporters online. Their frustration centred on Palmer being denied a penalty before Sunderland received the spot-kick that ultimately decided the match.

One supporter wrote: “I feel like throwing up, Brobbey literally grabs Colwill there and trips himself. Refereeing in this league is a joke.”

Another said: “Sometimes you just want to turn the game off. Pure corruption.”

A third supporter added: “We have been scammed,” while another posted: “We're getting ROBBED in broad daylight; how on earth was this not awarded as a penalty for Chelsea????”

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso offered a measured response after the defeat when asked about the decisions.

“I haven't seen Cole's actions, but there could be a chance that it could be given. The other one, I think it's an action where he can defend better. It's our mistake,” he told Sky Sports.

Chelsea struggled to create a meaningful response after falling behind. Colwill was replaced at half-time, and the visitors found it difficult to break down Sunderland's defence. Danny Welbeck's stoppage-time header was among their better opportunities.

The result lifted Sunderland off the bottom of the Premier League table, while Chelsea missed the chance to strengthen their position in the top four.