Chelsea travel to the Stadium of Light on Sunday seeking crucial points for European qualification.
Interim head coach Calum McFarlane will manage his final match before Xabi Alonso takes charge. The Blues currently sit eighth, which only guarantees a Conference League playoff spot. They desperately want to leapfrog Brighton into seventh to secure Europa League football next season. This ambitious outcome requires a victory today combined with dropped points for the Seagulls.
Chelsea recently ended a disastrous seven-game winless streak by defeating Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. They now look to win consecutive Premier League matches for the first time since February. They boast an excellent historical record on Wearside heading into this massive season finale. Chelsea have lost just one of their last 13 away league games against Sunderland.
Chelsea team news
Calum McFarlane hopes to welcome several crucial players back into his starting eleven today. João Pedro and Levi Colwill both returned to first-team training sessions on Friday afternoon. Pedro missed the recent London derby victory due to a minor physical knock. Colwill was simply rested following successive starts after returning from a severe knee injury. Club captain Reece James should also feature prominently after sitting out the midweek fixture.
Trevoh Chalobah could easily retain his starting spot in central defence alongside the returning Colwill. Midfielder Romeo Lavia remains a lingering doubt after missing two games with a minor issue. Estevao Willian, Jesse Derry, and Jamie Gittens are definitely absent for the season finale. Winger Mykhaylo Mudryk remains completely unavailable as he serves an ongoing domestic suspension.
Enzo Fernández will orchestrate the midfield after enjoying a phenomenal individual domestic campaign. The Argentine has registered 10 goals and four assists to lead his team offensively. He scored the opening goal and provided the match-winning assist against Tottenham last time out.
Chelsea predicted lineup
Chelsea predicted XI: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Palmer, Fernandez; Joao Pedro.
When will the match kick off?
The Premier League match at the Stadium of Light kicks off at 16:00 BST on Sunday, 24 May 2026.
How to watch Sunderland vs Chelsea?
In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports+, with coverage starting at 3.45pm. Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
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