Pre match- Sunderland vs. Chelsea

The last game on Saturday 5:45 shows league strugglers Sunderland just 3 points off the relegation zone up against high flying league favourites Chelsea who remain 6 points clear at first after an unbeaten start to the season. Chelsea on the back of a superb 5-0 win in Gelsenkirchen head into the game looking to consolidate their lead at the top with Manchester City travelling to Southampton and one side or both set to drop points, this is the perfect opportunity to capitalise.

Chelsea now qualified for the last 16 of the Champion’s league as group winners, head into Sunderland looking to increase their lead at the top, for Saturday at least. This Chelsea side have already been compared to that of Jose Mourinho’s 04/05 side who achieved a record breaking 95 points. The question has been begged, can this Chelsea side already unbeaten after 12 games, achieve the same feat as the infamous Invincible Arsenal side of 03/04. Jose’s side are unplayable at the minute and go into the 13^th league game full of confidence. Many pundits have praised the way Chelsea have played this season, going from that boring, hard-working and sensible girl that no one liked at school, to becoming a very pretty, eccentric and voluptuous woman attracting the attention of many.

Sunderland’s 8-0 loss was an embarrassment to Poyet and his side; a wakeup call. Since that horrendous day for the supporters they’ve seen their side lose just the once, draw twice and win one game away to Palace. However the one criticism being they’ve been scarred by the defeat and haven’t gained the confidence back to risk men forward and score. The goalless draw against Leicester the league’s poorest scorers demonstrates this. Poyet can see just how good this Chelsea side are playing, and to gain anything from the game would be a spectacular feat, his main objective for the game will be to avoid another embarrassing loss, and in front of his own supporters would be disastrous.

Team news: Chelsea: The only absentee for Chelsea is 19 year old Nathan Ake who’s still suffering from a hamstring injury.

Sunderland-Ricky Alvarez and Sebastian Coates are available back from injury however, Emanuele Giaccherini, Billy Jones and Patrick van Aanholt are all still out.

Predicted Chelsea team: