Match Preview: Chelsea v Sunderland

Just when we thought it was our turn to have a go and humiliate Jose, he departs. If ever a gaffer had lost a dressing room, it was Mourinho, despite Michael Emenalo's denial.

The timing of this is a concern - Chelsea have been handing out points all season like a deluded Santa who thinks everyone is nice. That said, one can't help but feel apprehensive that the Blues may just decide to take off. Our best chance of points over the festive period may just have become our worst.

Few would have expected any points from this fixture at the start of the season. We continue to create chances and while we're doing that there's always a chance to collect points. We need to be clinical - failure to convert opportunities like last week cost us dearly and would surely do so again. Chelsea may be looking to prove a point so organisation and making the most of the opportunities would ideally be order of the day. We have very little to lose.

Match Appointments

Referee: Roger East

Assistants: E Smart & D Eaton

Fourth Official: M Jones

Team News

Chelsea

Eden Hazard and Radamel Falcao are Chelsea's only concerns both being major doubts.

Sunderland

Sunderland are without Seb Larsson and Lee Cattermole, while Seb Coates is also likely to miss through illness.

Younes Kaboul returns following a bout of sickness which key.

Form

Chelsea

Mon 14 Dec

Leicester 2-1 Chelsea

Sat 5 Dec

Chelsea 0-1 Bournemouth

Sun 29 Nov

Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea

Sat 21 Nov

Chelsea 1-0 Norwich

Sat 7 Nov

Stoke 1-0 Chelsea

Sat 31 Oct

Chelsea 1-3 Liverpool

Sunderland

Sat 12 Dec

Sunderland 0-1 Watford

Sat 5 Dec

Arsenal 3-1 Sunderland

Sat 28 Nov

Sunderland 2-0 Stoke

Mon 23 Nov

Crystal Palace 0-1 Sunderland

Sat 7 Nov

Sunderland 0-1 Southampton

Sun 1 Nov

Everton 6-2 Sunderland

Flashback

Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland

Gyan, Welbeck and that sublime goal from Onouha. Don't forget the Zenden dance. We look back to 2010.

Extended highlights here

Last Corresponding

Last 10 League Meetings

24 May 2015

Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland

29 Nov 2014

Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea

19 Apr 2014

Chelsea 1-2 Sunderland

04 Dec 2013

Sunderland 3-4 Chelsea

07 Apr 2013

Chelsea 2-1 Sunderland

08 Dec 2012

Sunderland 1-3 Chelsea

14 Jan 2012

Chelsea 1-0 Sunderland

10 Sep 2011

Sunderland 1-2 Chelsea

01 Feb 2011

Sunderland 2-4 Chelsea

14 Nov 2010

Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland

Facts 'n' Stats

• Chelsea have won eighteen and lost two of their last twenty-one Premier League matches against Sunderland.
• In four of the last five league meetings between Sunderland and Chelsea, the team who scored first ended up losing the match while the other ended 0-0.
• Loic Remy has scored three goals in four league appearances against the Black Cats.
• Sunderland have afforded their opponents a league-high ninety-nine shots on target this season.