**Date:** Saturday 25th October 2025
**Venue**: Stamford Bridge
**Kick-off:** 15:00 BST
This afternoon’s Premier League game brings us back to Stamford Bridge, where we’re playing host to the league’s most unexpected party crasher: newly promoted Sunderland! The script says they should turn up, get a polite applause and quietly collect their defeat—except Sunderland never got the memo. Eight games in, and they’ve matched our points total, apparently eager to ruin everyone’s fantasy league teams. Their latest trick? Sending Wolves packing to claim 7th place, with legs as fresh as a Greggs pasty, having skipped those tiring midweek European trips.
Maresca, meanwhile, went for broke against Ajax, fielding a team that wouldn’t look out of place in a sixth-form common room—so frankly, no one has a clue what today’s starting XI might be. Prepare for another episode of ‘Guess Who’s Playing?’—the show that keeps us all on our toes.
In truth, we were poor against Forest in the first half last time out in the Premier League—a better team would have had us finished and back on the bus by half-time. Lucky for us, Forest were deep in ‘manager sack race’ mode, our bench bailed us out, and that 3-0 scoreline flattered us more than a dodgy Instagram filter. As for Ajax in midweek? It was less ‘Total Football’, more ‘Total Meltdown’. Taylor picked up a red card, Weghorst looked ready for a career in pantomime, and our youngsters ran away with it like they’d eaten all the Haribo.
Don’t expect Sunderland to hand out the same open spaces today; they’re as stubborn as a traffic jam on the North Circular. We haven’t squared up with the Black Cats since 2017—back in the days of Conte’s touchline theatrics and post-match trophy polishing after a 5-1 thumping. Now? Sunderland are set to dig in and frustrate, so buckle up, folks—yet another Stamford Bridge rollercoaster is about to leave the station!
**MANAGER’S VIEWS**
Going into today’s game, Enzo Maresca says _“I think \[Sunderland\] have shown since the season started that they are a very good team, they play together, they work together, they play as a team. Also, in terms of results, they have the same points as us, so they are showing how good they are doing since they started. And the game, it’s a Premier League game, I don’t think there is any game that can be easy, they are all difficult games._
_I (have been watching) Sunderland since last season when the new manager arrived. They are doing very good not just from this season but from last season. They play good football, they are quite strong, physically strong, so I really like the way they are doing things.”_
Sunderland manager, Regis Le Bris, meanwhile, says _“Chelsea are really strong, it’s a top four team in the Premier League. They can play 60 games, they have depth, young and dynamic. It’s a good example for us. They are well coached and have individuals who can win a game. A big test.”_
**SQUAD NEWS**
For Chelsea, the treatment room is almost standing-room only: Levi Colwill (ACL), Liam Delap (hamstring), Benoit Badiashille (muscle), Dario Essugo (thigh), and Cole Palmer (groin) are all perfecting their hospital corners. Last weekend’s tradition of a red card continues, with Malo Gusto getting his early bath and now taking a well-earned rest. Meanwhile, Mykhaylo Mudryk is still in the bad books and remains 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 remain sidelined out injuries. Reinildo Mandava returns after a three-match suspension.
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**TEAMS**
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez, James, Tosin, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Estevao, Garnacho; Pedro
SUNDERLAND (Possible line-up): Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Reinildo; Rigg, Xhaka, Sadiki; Talbi, Isidor, Le Fee
**LAST SEASON**
N/A
**CURRENT FORM**
CHELSEA: WDLLWW
SUNDERLAND: WDDWLW
**OTHER STUFF**
* Chelsea have won each of their last four games in all competitions
* Sunderland have gone 13 away league games against London sides without losing
* Chelsea have won their last three home league games against Sunderland
* Having won four of their first six Premier League games against Chelsea between 1996 and 2001 (L2), Sunderland have since won just three of their 26 against Chelsea
* None of the past 16 Premier League meetings between these sides at Stamford Bridge have resulted in a draw
* Only Manchester City (34) have earned more home points in the Premier League in 2025 than Chelsea (33)
**PREDICTION**
[Sportsmole](Preview:Chelsea vs Sunderland - prediction, team news, lineups - Sports Mole): Chelsea 2-1 Sunderland