Sunderland vs Chelsea: Premier League preview

Premier League

Sunderland

D22 Oct · Lech Poznan 1-1 SunderlandD25 Oct · Sunderland 0-0 LeedsW28 Oct · Sunderland 3-2 BrentfordL31 Oct · Coventry 3-1 SunderlandL5 Nov · Sunderland 0-2 Dinamo Zagreb

VS

Chelsea

W10 Oct · Chelsea 5-1 BournemouthW17 Oct · Everton 0-2 ChelseaL24 Oct · Chelsea 0-2 TottenhamD28 Oct · Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea (pens 6-5)W31 Oct · Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United

Sunday 8 November 2026 · 15:00

Read our prediction →Track Record

Sunderland host Chelsea in a Sunday afternoon Premier League fixture that finds the two clubs at sharply different points in their seasons. The table separates them by eleven points and sixteen places, and the two clubs have split their last five meetings unevenly, with Sunderland taking three wins to Chelsea's two.

Form guide

Sunderland arrive having won just one of their last five games across all competitions, drawing two and losing two. Their most recent outing, on 5 November, was a 2-0 home defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Europa League — played only three days before this match. Before that, they lost 3-1 away at Coventry in the Premier League on 31 October. Their one win in the run came at home to Brentford in the League Cup on 28 October, a 3-2 victory. Earlier, they drew 0-0 at home to Leeds in the Premier League on 25 October, and drew 1-1 away at Lech Poznan in the Europa League on 22 October. Across those five games they have scored five goals and conceded eight, keeping one clean sheet.

Scoring has been a particular problem for Sunderland at home in the league — just one goal in four games at an average of 0.25 per game — while Sunderland have conceded an average of 1.00 per game at home in the league. Their average expected goals across their last five matches stands at 1.98, against an average xG against of 1.70, suggesting their underlying chance creation has been reasonable even as results have not followed.

Chelsea come into this match having won three of their last five across all competitions, drawing one and losing one. Their most recent result was a 2-0 home Premier League win over Manchester United on 31 October. Three days before that, on 28 October, Chelsea drew 1-1 away at Liverpool in the League Cup. Four days earlier, on 24 October, Chelsea lost 2-0 at home to Tottenham in the Premier League. Before that they won 2-0 away at Everton on 17 October, and their fifth most recent game, on 10 October, was a 5-1 home win over Bournemouth in the Premier League. Across those five games Chelsea have scored ten and conceded four, with two clean sheets.

Chelsea's league form has been strong. They have won three of their four Premier League games among their last five, losing one, scoring nine and conceding three in those league outings, with two clean sheets. In their away league game among those four, they won and kept a clean sheet. Chelsea have averaged 2.11 goals scored and 1.67 conceded per game in the Premier League this season. Their average xG across their last five matches is 1.53, with an average xG against of 1.19.

Head to head

The two most recent meetings both went to Sunderland. On 24 May 2026, Sunderland beat Chelsea 2-1 at home. Before that, on 25 October 2025, Sunderland won 2-1 away at Chelsea. The three meetings before those two were split: Chelsea won 5-1 at home to Sunderland on 21 May 2017 and 1-0 away at Sunderland on 14 December 2016, while Sunderland won 3-2 at home to Chelsea on 7 May 2016.

What to watch

Sunderland's situation in the Premier League is severe. Their goal difference of minus ten from nine games, with seventeen conceded at a rate of 1.89 per game, underlines the defensive pressure they have been under throughout the season.

Chelsea's away record in the Premier League this season — two wins and two defeats from four games — means their performances on the road have been uneven, even as their overall league position remains strong. Their conceding average away in the league this season is 1.75 per game, and they have not been without defensive vulnerabilities even in a productive run.

Chelsea, whose league scoring rate this season is the higher of the two sides, will start as the stronger outfit: the bookmakers give them a 47% chance of winning, against 26% for Sunderland and 26% for the draw.