CHELSEA v Sunderland: Preview

Date: Saturday twenty fifth
October 2025

Venue: Stamford Bridge

Kick-off: 15:00 BST

This
afternoon’s Premier League recreation brings us again to Stamford Bridge, the place we’re enjoying
host to the league’s most surprising social gathering crasher: newly promoted Sunderland!
The script says they need to flip up, get a well mannered applause and quietly gather
their defeat—besides Sunderland by no means bought the memo. Eight video games in, they usually’ve
matched our factors whole, apparently desperate to destroy everybody’s fantasy league
groups. Their newest trick? Sending Wolves packing to say seventh
place, with legs as contemporary as a Greggs pasty, having skipped these tiring
midweek European journeys.

Maresca,
in the meantime, went for broke towards Ajax, fielding a staff that wouldn’t look out
of place in a sixth-form widespread room—so frankly, nobody has a clue what at present’s
beginning XI is likely to be. Put together for an additional episode of ‘Guess Who’s Taking part in?’—the
present that retains us all on our toes.

In
fact, we have been poor towards Forest within the first half final outing within the
Premier League—a greater staff would have had us completed and again on the bus by
half-time. Fortunate
for us, Forest have been deep in ‘supervisor sack race’ mode, our bench bailed us out,
and that 3-0 scoreline flattered us greater than a dodgy Instagram filter. As for
Ajax in midweek? It was much less ‘Complete Soccer’, extra ‘Complete Meltdown’. Taylor
picked up a pink card, Weghorst appeared prepared for a profession in pantomime, and our kids
ran away with it like they’d eaten all of the Haribo.

Don’t
count on Sunderland at hand out the identical open areas at present; they’re as cussed
as a visitors jam on the North Round. We haven’t squared up with the Black
Cats since 2017—again within the days of Conte’s touchline theatrics and post-match
trophy sharpening after a 5-1 thumping. Now? Sunderland are set to dig in and
frustrate, so buckle up, people—one more Stamford Bridge rollercoaster is
about to go away the station!

MANAGER’S VIEWS

Going into
at present’s recreation, Enzo Maresca says “I feel [Sunderland] have proven for the reason that
season began that they’re an excellent staff, they play collectively, they work
collectively, they play as a staff. Additionally, when it comes to outcomes, they’ve the identical
factors as us, so they’re exhibiting how good they’re doing since they began. And
the sport, it’s a Premier League recreation, I don’t assume there’s any recreation that may
be straightforward, they’re all troublesome video games.

I (have
been watching) Sunderland since final season when the brand new supervisor arrived. They
are doing excellent not simply from this season however from final season. They play
good soccer, they’re fairly sturdy, bodily sturdy, so I actually just like the
means they’re doing issues.”

Sunderland
supervisor, Regis Le Bris, in the meantime, says “Chelsea are actually sturdy, it’s a
high 4 staff within the Premier League. They’ll play 60 video games, they’ve depth,
younger and dynamic. It’s an excellent instance for us. They’re properly coached and have
people who can win a recreation. A giant check.”

SQUAD NEWS

For Chelsea, the remedy room is sort of standing-room solely: Levi Colwill (ACL), Liam Delap (hamstring), Benoit Badiashille (muscle), Dario Essugo (thigh), and Cole Palmer (groin) are all perfecting their hospital corners. Final weekend’s custom of a pink card continues, with Malo Gusto getting his early bathtub and now taking a well-earned relaxation. In the meantime, Mykhaylo Mudryk continues to be within the unhealthy books and stays firmly embedded on the naughty step.

For
Sunderland, Omar Alderete (concussion), Habib
Diarra (groin), Romaine Mundle (hamstring), Dennis Cirkin (wrist), Aji Alese
(shoulder) and Leo Hjelde (Achilles) all stay sidelined out accidents. Reinildo
Mandava returns after a three-match suspension.

.

TEAMS

CHELSEA (Doable line-up): Sanchez, James, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Estevao, Garnacho; Pedro

SUNDERLAND
(Doable line-up): Roefs;
Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Reinildo; Rigg, Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Isidor, Le Price

LAST SEASON

N/A

CURRENT FORM

CHELSEA: WDLLWW

SUNDERLAND: WDDWLW

OTHER STUFF

Chelsea
have received every of their final 4 video games in all competitionsSunderland have gone 13 away league video games towards
London sides with out losingChelsea have received their final three house league video games
towards SunderlandHaving received 4 of their first six Premier League
video games towards Chelsea between 1996 and 2001 (L2), Sunderland have since received
simply three of their 26 towards ChelseaNone of the previous 16 Premier League conferences between
these sides at Stamford Bridge have resulted in a drawOnly Manchester Metropolis (34) have earned extra house
factors within the Premier League in 2025 than Chelsea (33)

PREDICTION

Sportsmole: Chelsea 2-1 Sunderland