Merson: Chelsea failing to qualify for the Champions League would be a huge failure

Chelsea continued their inconsistent start under Xabi Alonso. The London club lost 1-0 to Sunderland and were beaten in two of their last three league matches. Enzo Le Fee scored from the penalty spot in the first half. Regis Le Bris's side had started the match at the bottom of the league with five points.

Chelsea sit fifth in the Premier League table after the match. However, in-form Everton and Bournemouth are waiting just behind them. If they lose their next match against Leeds, they could also drop behind Leeds.

Paul Merson, in his column for Sky Sports, said he was greatly disappointed by Chelsea's performance. Merson said the team played well below its capacity. He also praised Sunderland and added that the opponent played as well as it did last season.

According to Merson, Chelsea cannot have one good week and one bad week. Stability is expected because the club has won many trophies. Reminding that it has been a long time since Chelsea won the Premier League, Merson stressed that the current consistency is not enough for the top five and that the target is the Champions League. He said that if Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League, it would be a major failure. The December fixture list also looks difficult. Chelsea will face Liverpool, Manchester City and Aston Villa before Christmas.