Sunderland vs Chelsea Preview: Team News, Predicted Line-ups & Prediction
Chelsea travel to the Stadium of Light as favourites on Sunday, 8 November (5:00 PM EAT, 2:00 PM UK). They face a Sunderland side who are bottom of the table, but who beat them on this ground on the final day of last season.
Regis Le Bris’s Sunderland have 5 points from nine games and have won only once in the league. They are also stretched by a Europa League campaign and a long injury list. Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea are fourth on 16 points and can stay in the top four with a win, despite missing several key players.
Form guide
Sunderland (L-L-W-D-D, all competitions). Sunderland lost 3-1 at Coventry in the league, then 2-0 at home to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on Thursday. Goals are the big problem. They have scored only 7 league goals all season, and just 1 in four home games.
Chelsea (W-D-L-W-W, all competitions). Chelsea’s last five league games show their swings: a 2-0 home win over Manchester United, a 2-0 home loss to Tottenham, a 2-0 win at Everton, a 5-1 thrashing of Bournemouth and a 3-0 defeat at Brentford. They have scored 19 league goals, the most outside the top two, but have also conceded 15.
Head-to-head
Chelsea have the better long-term record in this fixture, but they have not beaten Sunderland in the last two meetings. The most recent was a 2-1 Sunderland win at the Stadium of Light on the final day of 2025-26.
Team news and injuries
Sunderland
- Out: Habib Diarra (around six weeks), Dan Ballard (hamstring), Romaine Mundle (knee, out until the new year) and Omar Alderete (suspended).
- Doubts: Nordi Mukiele is in concussion protocol. Juan Riquelme is being assessed after a knock in an Under-21 game.
- With Ballard and Alderete both missing, Le Bris has to rebuild the centre of his defence.
Chelsea
- Out: Reece James (knee, out until January), Joao Pedro (thigh, around 21 November), Maxence Lacroix (hamstring) and Jamie Gittens (ankle).
- Doubts: Moises Caicedo (muscle) and Jorrel Hato (back) are major doubts. Emiliano Martinez is close to a return after jaw surgery. Jordan Henderson is getting over an illness and is expected to be fine.
- Without Joao Pedro, Chelsea are likely to play Pedro Neto as a false nine, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers behind him.
Possible line-ups
Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, O’Nien, Methalie, Mandava; Sadiki, Xhaka; Rigg, Le Fee, Angulo; Brobbey
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Penders; Palestra, Colwill, Fofana, Acheampong; Caicedo, Lavia; Rogers, Palmer, Estevao; Neto
These line-ups are predicted (Khel Now). Caicedo is a major doubt, so Chelsea’s midfield pairing may change. If Martinez is passed fit, he could replace Penders in goal. Confirmed teams are named about an hour before kick-off.
Key battles
- Palmer vs Xhaka: Cole Palmer will drift into the pockets in front of Sunderland’s back four. Granit Xhaka’s job is to close those spaces before Palmer can turn.
- Rogers and Estevao vs a patched-up defence: with Ballard and Alderete out, Sunderland’s makeshift centre-backs face Chelsea’s quickest wide attackers.
- Brobbey vs Colwill and Fofana: Brian Brobbey is Sunderland’s best route to goal. His strength in holding the ball up gives them their best chance of an outlet.
Goals outlook
The XScore goals model expects about 2.7 goals in this game, based on both teams’ season scoring and conceding records, home and away.
| Market | XScore estimate |
|---|---|
| Over 1.5 goals | 76% |
| Over 2.5 goals | 52% |
| Both teams to score | 54% |
| Over 3.5 goals | 29% |
The model is fair on BTTS, but one number argues against it: Sunderland have scored just once in four home league games. Chelsea’s goals are more reliable than Sunderland’s, so a Chelsea win with the hosts failing to score is a sensible angle.
XScore prediction: Sunderland 0-2 Chelsea
Chelsea’s attack and their deeper squad should be too much for a tired, injury-hit Sunderland side who struggle to score at home. Last season’s final-day defeat here is a warning, but this Sunderland team is weaker and short on confidence. Pre-match models give Chelsea about a 48% chance of winning, the draw 26% and Sunderland 26%.
Our tips:
- Main pick: Chelsea to win
- Goals pick: Over 1.5 goals
- Value angle: Chelsea win to nil
- Correct score: 0-2 (alternative: 1-2)
Want more picks like this? Head to xscore.co.ke for daily predictions, Over/Under tips, BTTS picks and correct scores across the Premier League and beyond.
Predictions are for information and entertainment. Please bet responsibly, 18+ only.
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