Sunderland vs Chelsea Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Sunderland’s impressive 2025-26 Premier League campaign could still end with a first European qualification in 53 years as the Black Cats host Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, in the final round of the season. The sides begin the weekend two places apart, and Regis Le Bris’s mid-table team could yet snatch a Europa League or Conference League spot but they must win to keep those hopes alive.

The bookies have the Black Cats as the outsiders at 12/5 with BetGoodwin while Sky Bet have the visitors as the favourites at 19/20 and a draw is 13/5 with Paddy Power . You can also find more betting offers at the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers .

After a summer of upheaval following promotion, many tipped Sunderland for an immediate return to the Championship. Instead, they have exceeded expectations and go into the final day of the season in the top half. They also sit above rivals Newcastle United, who are one place and two points behind, and Sunderland can still break into the European places if they beat Chelsea and results elsewhere fall their way.

Sunderland trail Chelsea by one point, with the visitors currently eighth — a position that brings a Conference League play-off place. Brentford, also one point ahead of Sunderland, are well placed to capitalise on any slip from the Blues.

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Le Bris’s best-case outcome is seventh and Europa League football, but it requires a perfect storm: Manchester United must beat Brighton at the Amex, Liverpool must overcome Brentford at Anfield, and Sunderland must take care of Chelsea on Wearside.

History, though, is against the hosts: Sunderland have not completed a league double over Chelsea since 2000-01.

This season offers a clear chance to end that run, particularly as Chelsea may be ambivalent about returning to the Conference League. While Blues fans would welcome another win after Tuesday’s victory over Tottenham ended a seven-game Premier League winless stretch, it could also mean less glamourous travel in Europe’s third-tier competition — which Chelsea won in 2024-25 under Enzo Maresca.

A Chelsea win, however, could still be valuable: if Brighton draw or lose against Michael Carrick’s United, the Londoners would move above the Seagulls into seventh.

That backdrop makes Callum McFarlane’s approach intriguing as his interim spell ends, as does his players’ motivation in a match where Chelsea are chasing back-to-back league wins for the first time since their four-game run in January and February, when they beat Brentford, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Wolves.

Even if Chelsea’s incentive is unclear, their away form points to caution: they have not won on the road since early March’s 4-1 victory at Aston Villa, suggesting travelling fans may arrive at the Stadium of Light more wary than confident.

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Omar Alderete will be assessed ahead of Sunday after going off in the 23rd minute of last weekend’s 3-1 win at Everton.

Sunderland are likely without Romaine Mundle (thigh), Bertrand Traore (knee) and Simon Moore (wrist), while Dan Ballard serves the final game of his three-match ban.

Enzo Le Fee’s goal and assist at Everton took him to 11 goal contributions this season, while Granit Xhaka is on six assists and could equal his career-best of seven with another on Sunday.

For Chelsea, Joao Pedro is a doubt again after missing the 2-1 win over Spurs, but Enzo Fernandez has been their standout contributor with 14 (10 goals, four assists). Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah could return, Levi Colwill is in contention, and Romeo Lavia is a late call. Estevao Willian, Jesse Derry and Jamie Gittens are out, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended.

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