Chemsdine Talbi struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Sunderland stunned Chelsea with a 2-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.
The 20-year-old Morocco international strode unmarked into the box to sweep home after Brian Brobbey had held the ball up all on his own against two defenders, sparking delirious scenes amongst away supporters in the Shed End.
The game had been a fierce contest, but if Chelsea's ambitions extend to pushing on from last season’s fourth-place finish then this is the kind of even fight they will need to learn how to edge.
Sunderland were much their equal for long periods, and there can have been few teams since Enzo Maresca took over that have come here and looked so comfortable on the ball, so ready and able to attack Chelsea.
They fell behind to Alejandro Garnacho before the game had had a chance to settle, a quick breakaway down the left that was finished off by the £40million summer signing to score his first Blues goal.
Maresca had said he is not ready to jump aboard the long throw-in bandwagon, but Sunderland showed they had the hang of the top-flight’s latest attacking trend to equalise through top-scorer Wilson Isidor, finishing off after Nordi Mukiele’s launch had caused chaos inside the box.
Chelsea’s first-half game plan was simple if not necessarily effective – work the ball wide to draw Sunderland over then reverse the play to the far post, though their opponents were sufficiently streetwise not to allow gaps to appear easily.
It was from the only deviation from that blueprint that got Chelsea their goal. Pedro Neto stole possession in midfield and sent the ball up to Garnacho high on the left, who ran around Mukiele perhaps too easily before slipping his finish through the legs of Robin Roefs.
Garnacho was having his brightest 45 minutes so far in blue but on the other flank Neto was struggling to escape the attentions of the impassable Reinildo Mandava who largely nullified Chelsea’s right side.
Indeed their biggest threat appeared to be coming from Marc Cucurella, three times bursting forward from left-back and bamboozling Sunderland simply with his presence inside their box.
Maresca said this week he would send for former Stoke midfielder Rory Delap if ever he became a disciple of the long throw in, but Regis Le Bris had his own weapon in the shape of Mukiele. It was his muscular launch that found its way to Bertrand Traore whose shot hit Joao Pedro and ricocheted to Isidor who knocked in the equaliser.
Granit Xhaka then sent Isidor away down the left for a strike that thumped into Robert Sanchez’s side netting, then Garnacho’s athletic effort as he slid in at the far post brought a save from Roefs, who also turned Trevoh Chalobah’s long-range rocket over.
Estevao Willian was sent on to try and give Chelsea some bite on the right side, but it was a more experience hand that carved out their next chance, Reece James beating Enzo Le Fee and crossing for Cucurella who had it taken off his head by a brilliant intervention from Roefs.
A draw would have been a fair result. Talbi’s late finish made it a remarkable one.
Skipper Bruno Guimaraes got Newcastle out of jail with a 90th-minute winner to extend Fulham's Premier League losing streak to four games.
The Brazil international, who had earlier wasted a glorious opportunity, followed up after goalkeeper Bernd Leno had saved substitute Will Osula’s shot to snatch a 2-1 victory for the Magpies when they once again misfired in front of a crowd of 52,125.
Jacob Murphy had given Eddie Howe’s men a first-half lead, but they were unable to build on it and were made to pay 11 minutes after the restart when Sasa Lukic levelled to set up a tense conclusion during which Guimaraes had the final say.
Anthony Gordon had earlier picked up where he had left off in Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Benfica, luring full-back Kenny Tete into an injudicious third-minute challenge which cost him a booking and a free-kick from which Nick Woltemade fired against Bernd Leno’s right post after Malick Thiaw’s header had been blocked.
Murphy struck the keeper’s left upright from a tight angle three minutes later with the visitors living dangerously in the face of an early assault.
However, Raul Jimenez saw a 13th-minute shot deflected wide after turning Dan Burn in the box following Ryan Sessegnon’s cross from an Alex Iwobi through-ball as the visitors started to make an impact.
Fulham were encouraged by a shift in the flow of the game with the Magpies less then assured at the back, but their momentum was punctured after 18 minutes when Murphy dispossessed Calvin Bassey just inside his own half and raced away before steering the ball across Leno and in off the far post.
However, Newcastle keeper Nick Pope was relieved to see Adama Traore drive across goal after he had parried Sander Berge’s long-range attempt and with the hosts taking unnecessary risks deep inside their own half, they continued to look vulnerable.
It could have been 2-0 six minutes before the break when Gordon played Murphy in with a fine first-time ball only for Leno to make a vital block, but Pope had to save from Emile Smith Rowe after Berge had picked off Sven Botman’s loose pass out of defence.
The visitors were level in the 56th minute when Iwobi picked out half-time substitute Kevin, a former Brazil Under-20 international, whose introduction added fresh vigour to his side’s efforts, on the left and Raul Jimenez’s shot from his cross crashed against the crossbar before Lukic headed the rebound past the stranded Pope, clashing heads with Botman in the process.
Howe swiftly replaced Botman, Lewis Miley and Murphy with Fabian Schar, Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes and their side should have been back in front within seven minutes when Gordon exchanged passes with Woltemade before crossing to Guimaraes, who missed the target with a free header.
Guimaraes dragged a shot just wide and Sessegnon blocked substitute Anthony Elanga’s strike before Leno saved Tonali’s follow-up, and after Joelinton had headed into the side-netting, the Fulham keeper pulled off a fine save to keep out Tonali’s goal-bound effort.
However, he was finally beaten for a second time at the death when Osula burst forward after Sessegnon had lost the ball and although Leno kept out his attempt, Guimaraes pounced.
