Cole Palmer of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Chelsea FC at Stadium of Light
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Sunderland's Brian Brobbey holds off the challenge from Chelsea's Levi Colwill
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Sunderland v Chelsea FC - Premier League 2026/27
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Levi Colwill of Chelsea
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Chelsea FC Training and Press Conference
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Xabi Alonso manager / head coach of Chelsea celebrates with Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill
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How close Chelsea came to signing Granit Xhaka, as Xabi Alonso plots Sunderland revenge
Granit Xhaka and Xabi Alonso
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Might as well close the academy now, just being used to sell youngsters for pure profit. Josh will probably be next out of the door and you can't blame him.
Neither!
Looking at those stats it has to be Xhaka, however, as he was not available Henderson is a more than capable replacement nd has much, if not more, experience which is the main factor that Alonso was looking for
“When I spoke with the owner of Sunderland, I told him from the beginning, I don’t have the feeling that this project is done yet. And this is my motivation,” Xhaka said after the transfer window had closed.
“That’s why they took me here, and that’s why I’m still here to get to the next step. I want to enjoy the European football with this football club, with the fans, and hopefully we can get more after this season.”
Instead, Chelsea signed Henderson and the England veteran has been magnificent. The chances are that he starts today alongside Romeo Lavia, even if Moises Caicedo is fit enough to be on the Blues bench.
Xhaka is not the only Sunderland player to be linked with Chelsea
Before the window had even opened, Chelsea wanted to sign a goalkeeper. That changed initially under Alonso, who made Robert Sanchez his no.1, before the Spaniard’s horror show in the win over Fulham.
Sanchez was shipped out to Como and Martinez came in, with Mike Penders his understudy. But before that, Chelsea were strongly linked with Robin Roefs – a bargain £9m signing, now valued at a huge £50m.
Back in 2024, Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg was a target for the Blues, but nothing came to fruition. Now, Chelsea will be looking to exact revenge after it was Sunderland who denied them Europe last term.
Joe Hart warns Chelsea about ‘top’ Sunderland star who could cause Wesley Fofana problems
James Shearman
Brian Brobbey of Sunderland has a chance while under pressure from Wesley Fofana of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Chelsea at the Stadium of Light
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On paper, Chelsea face one of the Premier League’s easiest fixtures against 20th-placed Sunderland this weekend. However, the Blues must be prepared for a difficult game against Regis Le Bris’ side at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland have not won any of their last seven league matches and they lost 2-0 to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on Thursday night. This has given Chelsea even more reason to believe they can avenge last season’s defeats to the Black Cats.
Former Premier League title-winning goalkeeper Joe Hart has now weighed in on the Sunderland vs Chelsea game. Hart expects one Sunderland player to give the Blues’ defence something to think about and potentially help his side claim all three points.
READ MORE:Chelsea wonderkid torn apart after ‘awful’ Crystal Palace display, ‘Worst defender I’ve seen’
How confident are you that Chelsea can get the better of Sunderland? ⚽
Draw
If Fofana plays against Brobbey, then 3-1 to our Chelsea. If Anselmino somehow plays against Brobbey, 3-0 to our Chelsea. Going to be down to the CBs and the midfield pairing. I hope Lavia starts and plays the whole match.
I think Chelsea's going to win, I just hope that won't come with more injuries and red/ yellow cards
Joe Hart identifies Brian Brobbey as Sunderland threat Chelsea must be wary of
Joe Hart insists Chelsea must be wary of Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey ahead of this weekend’s game. Brobbey is already a familiar figure to Blues supporters after assisting Chemsdine Talbi’s last-minute winner at Stamford Bridge in October.
Meanwhile, Malo Gusto’s own goal in the reverse fixture on the final day of the season, which sealed Sunderland’s Europa League qualification, came from a Brobbey shot. Xabi Alonso’s side will be hoping the Dutchman does not score his first goal in the fixture on Sunday.
Although Hart expects Chelsea to win, he named Sunderland as the Premier League team most likely to cause an upset. He explained on The Overlap Daily: “If you were to push me for a shock of the week, I think that has the most potential. I think Chelsea will beat Sunderland. I do.
“But when we look at the narrative, I do think they’re in such a false position. They’re not playing well at the moment. They won’t claim to be playing well but they’ve got some really top players.
“I think Brian Brobbey’s fit again. He’s key for Sunderland. Do you know what they were? They weren’t just off-the-cuff good either. They were solid. Especially at the Stadium of Light, they made it really difficult.
“And you feel like it depends on him. I know I touched on Brobbey, but you can be as solid as you want in the game, but you need someone to finish those chances. I watched him in the Manchester City game where he got the hat-trick, and then he was out injured, I think. That’s the Premier League.
“I’m not with you on shock of the week, but if I had to go somewhere, I think that’s going to be a tough, tough game for Chelsea.”
The Black Cats have obviously been struggling this season and Brobbey’s lack of clinical finishing has been an issue. However, the striker has already shown he can trouble Chelsea’s defenders, and his physical attributes should certainly help him get the better of Wesley Fofana.
Fofana is expected to start alongside Levi Colwill at the heart of the Blues’ defence due to Maxence Lacroix’s hamstring injury. The Frenchman has consistently struggled to deal with physical strikers and, if Brobbey has watched either of Chelsea’s last two games against Liverpool and Manchester United, he will fancy his chances of bullying him.