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Martin Wanless predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 3 Chelsea 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Nilson Angulo
Well, it’s a shame the season has to come to an end really, but what a season it’s been, and it still could get even better.
Chelsea have a load of good players but having watched them a couple of times recently, they’re not a good ‘team’.
We’re a good team, and with a great crowd and atmosphere, we can get over the line. Haway, me bonny lads!
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris reacts to Sunderland’s Nilson Angulo during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris reacts to Sunderland’s Nilson Angulo during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
CameraSport via Getty Images
‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Chelsea 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey
We literally go “Til the End” and today, I think this will get us the result we need to nick a European spot, if surrounding factors allow.
Big Brian will be too much for the underperforming Chelsea back four, and I think he’ll get us ahead.
After scoring a second, we’ll be biting our nails down and seeing what else is happening around us, but whether we win, lose or draw, I’ll be there until the ninetieth minute-plus to clap these lads off the pitch, as they’ve achieved miracles compared to expectations.
“Once more into the breach”, lads. Let’s get this job done and see where the other results lead us.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Brian Brobbey of Sunderland scores his team’s first goal under pressure from James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Brian Brobbey of Sunderland scores his team’s first goal under pressure from James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
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Jack Howe-Gingell predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Chelsea 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fée
What a season.
A year ago, we were celebrating the ecstasy of that Dan Ballard winner and the attacking salvo at Wembley firing us back to the big time. Anything else felt like a bonus — I remember talking about how even if we came straight back down, they could never take these moments from us. How little I knew.
Fast forward to today and we go into our final game of the Premier League season in the hunt for European football, and possibly our highest finish since the heady days under Peter Reid.
Whatever will be will be, but these lads deserve our adulation and respect after a stunning campaign, and that’ll no doubt be reflected in a pulsating atmosphere, mirroring the opening day’s cauldron.
One more go, lads. Can’t wait for Sunday.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 24: Tommy Watson of Sunderland celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final match between TBC and TBC at Wembley Stadium on May 24, 2025 in London, England. This weekend’s EFL play-off matches at Wembley will all kick-off one minute late, to raise awareness for the ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign, which aims to encourage people to learn CPR. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 24: Tommy Watson of Sunderland celebrates after scoring the winning goal during the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final match between TBC and TBC at Wembley Stadium on May 24, 2025 in London, England. This weekend’s EFL play-off matches at Wembley will all kick-off one minute late, to raise awareness for the ‘Every Minute Matters’ campaign, which aims to encourage people to learn CPR. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
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Will Jones predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Chelsea 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fée
“Have you ever seen a Mackem in Malmo?”
You will next season. Bring it home, boys.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - MAY 09: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland reacts during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Manchester United at Stadium of Light on May 09, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - MAY 09: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland reacts during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Manchester United at Stadium of Light on May 09, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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Matty Foster predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Chelsea 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fée
Ninety minutes potentially separates us from European football. Read that again — it doesn’t seem real, does it?
Who would’ve thought it, but what a bloody journey it’s been and no matter happens today, Régis Le Bris and the red and white wizards have done us so proud.
The atmosphere is going to be electric and the players will need no motivation to get the job done.
Forget the opposition in front of us, forget the odds stacked against us: we’ve been written off so many times, and we’veproved the doubters wrong. I myself doubted us winning any of our final three, and look what happened.
Results need to go our way, but let’s ensure we hold up our end of the bargain!
Haway the Lads!
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Enzo Le Fee of Sunderland scores the second goal for his team and dons a Spiderman mask in celebration during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Enzo Le Fee of Sunderland scores the second goal for his team and dons a Spiderman mask in celebration during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)
Sunderland AFC via Getty Images
Anthony Gair predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 5 Chelsea 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Luke O’Nien
Because why not?
We’ll come into this knowing we need to win for Europe, but the Lads know they’re capable of beating Chelsea — we did it at their place, and we’re going to come out all guns blazing against the fading Blues.
With a lot of players fearing for their places for next season at Stamford Bridge, I expect them to start fast but fade away after O’Nien puts them to the sword with a forty-yard raker in the first ten minutes.
We’ll be 5-0 up after sixty five minutes, but Chelsea will get a couple towards the end to make it look like it was a contest.
Disclaimer: Obviously, this is highly unlikely, but who cares? I’m bottom and I’m dreaming.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Luke O’Nien of Sunderland prepares to enter the pitch after Omar Alderete of Sunderland (not pictured) suffers a injury and is unable to continue during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Luke O’Nien of Sunderland prepares to enter the pitch after Omar Alderete of Sunderland (not pictured) suffers a injury and is unable to continue during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
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Gary Winter predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 1 Chelsea 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey
Never in a million years did I think we would be heading into the final fixture of our first season back in the Premier League with a shot at securing European football in a game against Chelsea.
Regardless of the result, it’s been a fantastic season and we’ve never once looked like going down, which is an incredible feat.
Chelsea go into today in a similar position to us, although a draw could be enough for them with the other results going their way. The Europa League or Conference would still be a huge underachievement for them and I question how up for the match they are.
The atmosphere is going to be electric, with the potential of matching the opening day against West Ham.
The Lads will get all of the city’s encouragement and backing today, and I believe we can get the win to ensure we have a chance. The rest is out of our hands…
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Jake O’Brien of Everton shoots which is saved by Robin Roefs of Sunderland shoot during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Jake O’Brien of Everton shoots which is saved by Robin Roefs of Sunderland shoot during the Premier League match between Everton and Sunderland at Hill Dickinson Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
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Brett Lyons-Davis predicts...
Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Chelsea 0
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fée
You don’t need several paragraphs on my reasons. Based on Chelsea’s current form, I’m keeping it simple and predicting the following…
Sunderland 2 Chelsea 0
Brighton 1 Manchester United 2
Liverpool 1 Brentford 1
And…Sunderland in Europe. Haway the Lads!
Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fees scores their side’s first goal of the game from a penalty during the Premier League match at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland. Picture date: Saturday November 29, 2025. (Photo by Steve Welsh/PA Images via Getty Images)
Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fees scores their side’s first goal of the game from a penalty during the Premier League match at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland. Picture date: Saturday November 29, 2025. (Photo by Steve Welsh/PA Images via Getty Images)
PA Images via Getty Images
Last time out…
The Lads turned around a one-goal deficit to resume their spot at the top of the league relating to points from a losing position.
The second half was mesmerising and Everton didn’t know what to do to stop us, despite being one up before the break at their own new shiny gaff.
Today, we can hopefully make the most of home advantage, a rammed stadium and the chance of European football for 2026/2027, and the boys can give this fanbase what they’ve craved for decades.
Let’s have it, Lads.
Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor scores their side’s third goal of the game during the Premier League match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool. Picture date: Sunday May 17, 2026. (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor scores their side’s third goal of the game during the Premier League match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool. Picture date: Sunday May 17, 2026. (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
PA Images via Getty Images
Last game predictions…
Five of the lads went for an away win but nobody was so confident they would predict that we’d score three goals.
Three of the lads went for Brobbey to notch first, meaning a few lads got a one or two points despite not getting a full house.
As our final predictions outing comes about, we all have to hope we can do what’s needed and take this club to levels that the fans deserve, and the club probably really wants, too.
Predictions table and standings
Malc remains top of the shop and if he can get something from the Chelsea game, he may go back-to-back as the Roker Report predictions champion two years on the bounce.
Will had a wee scare with a late submission but as his last yellow card was over a month ago, he gets away with a warning and is still in with a shout if he does well.
Gary is the only other writer who could take the title, but he needs a perfect four-point prediction and for Will and Malc to blow it.
For the rest, it’s pride and bragging rights.
How the points are awarded
Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:
Correct score = Three points
Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid call)
Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.