Preview: Chelsea face Sunderland for the first time since 2017
High-flying Sunderland travel to Stamford Bridge on Saturday for arguably their sternest test since returning to the Premier League, while Chelsea will be hoping to gain further ground on the top four and title chasers.
By Alex Roberts
Enzo Maresca’s young side are full of confidence after a comfortable 5-1 midweek win over Ajax, a team that looked more like a pub side than four-time Champions League winners, with three teenagers scoring for the same side in the same game for the first time in the tournament’s history.
As for Sunderland, their 2-0 win over Wolves last time out shows they’re doing exactly what newly promoted sides must do, beating the teams likely to be battling alongside them to avoid the drop.
A weird reunion for Marc Guiu
In another universe, the young Spaniard would be watching on with his Sunderland teammates rather than potentially starting with his Chelsea ones. He would have been ineligible to feature against his parent club should he have remained on loan on Wearside.
Alas, his loan was cut short after Chelsea decided to ship Nicolas Jackson off to Bayern Munich and here we are. Guiu started and scored the opener in the win over Ajax, with Chelsea looking an altogether more cohesive side with him on the pitch.
He came on against Liverpool, distracted Virgil van Dijk enough to allow Marc Cucurella to send in the cross for Estêvão’s winner, and after replacing Alejandro Garnacho at half time vs Forest, they were 2-0 up within seven minutes. It’s almost as if when Chelsea play a proper striker, they score goals.
The signing of the summer?
Sunderland spent a lot of money in the summer transfer window to get their squad ready for the step up from the Championship to the Premier League, and it appears to have worked wonders.
Few new boys across the league have had as instant an impact as Nordi Mukiele, however. The French defender is a constant, leading the charts for tackles made per 90 minutes at Sunderland with 3.3, while also making an average of eight clearances per game.
Capable of playing as a centre-back or a right back, he bagged the opening goal in the 2-0 win over Wolves having somehow found himself at left wing, playing a lovely one-two with Trai Hume, and beating José Sá. Adding goals to his game would be a welcome bonus.
Team News
Chelsea welcome Wesley Fofana back in the win over Ajax after missing the previous four games due to a concussion he picked up in the 2-1 League Cup win over Lincoln City, with Enzo Fernández also returned from a knock he picked up while on international duty.
Tosin Adarabioyo started his first game since the defeat to Man United, so Chelsea’s centre-back injury crisis appears to be over. Still, they’re missing Cole Palmer (groin), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dário Essugo (thigh), Benoît Badiashile (muscle), Liam Delap (hamstring), however.
Sunderland have a good few injuries too, with Ajibola Alese (shoulder), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Leo Hjelde (Achilles tendon), Habib Diarra, (groin), and Romaine Mundle (hamstring) all out.
Prediction
Chelsea don’t tend to start games particularly well, so if Sunderland get an early goal, this could be interesting. We’re going to go with an edgy 2-1 home win.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
You can follow every game from the Premier League with FotMob this season — featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.