By Dan Levene

CHELSEA boss Jose Mourinho says failing to do the basics right is costing them.

The Blues have already lost in the north east this season at Newcastle, and came close to dropping points again in the 4-3 win at Sunderland on Wednesday night.

“The game is about that and basic things and we failed in the basic things of the game,” said Mourinho.

“The most basic thing is to defend set pieces. You know the positions, you practise the positions.

“You have to have some players to defend spaces and you have some players to defend men and we failed.

“We win the game, and we should win cleanly because of the way we played. We risked to the last second. We have responsibility.”

Chelsea found themselves battling to the last against a spirited Sunderland side who scored in the 86th minute and had chances to equalise in a frantic six added minutes.

Mourinho said: “Good things, good football, good spirit, amazing crowd – they have responsibility of that.

“We played so so well that we cannot arrive at the extra (added) time in a dangerous situation like we did.

“When you play so well you have to win comfortably and not get to manage the last six minutes.”

Blues will have a chance to eliminate errors against the same opponents when they return to Sunderland a week on Tuesday for the Capital One Cup quarter-final.

They travel to Stoke for Saturday's Premier League game in second spot, four points behind leaders Arsenal.