Sunderland welcome Chelsea to the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon, with the Black Cats rooted to the foot of the Premier League table and desperate for a turnaround under manager Régis Le Bris.

The hosts have managed only one win in their opening nine league matches, accumulating five points, and their recent form has been grim. A 3-1 defeat away at Coventry City was followed by a 2-0 home loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Europa League — results that have piled pressure on Le Bris and his squad.

Yet there is a sliver of hope. Sunderland completed a league double over Chelsea last season, claiming a 2-1 victory at both Stamford Bridge and the Stadium of Light. Recapturing that form will be essential if the Black Cats are to take anything from Sunday's encounter.

Chelsea arrive in strong shape

Xabi Alonso's Chelsea travel to Wearside in a far more confident mood, sitting fourth in the Premier League with 16 points from nine games. Their 2-0 win over Manchester United last weekend showcased the Blues at their best — a clean sheet, clinical finishing, and clear signs of Alonso's footballing identity taking hold.

Chelsea have scored 19 league goals so far this season, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers central to that attacking output. Alonso will be encouraged by his side's resilience and creativity heading into this trip north.

Reece James, João Pedro, Maxence Lacroix, and Jamie Gittens are expected to miss the fixture through injury. Emiliano Martínez has returned to training after recovering from a fractured jaw, while Estevao could be in line for further minutes after an impressive showing last time out.

How to watch

Kick-off is at 2:00pm GMT. In the UK, the match is live on Sky Sports Premier League. Viewers in the United States can catch the action on USA Network, with a 21-day free trial available via YouTube TV for new subscribers. Fans in Australia can watch on Stan Sport, which carries every Premier League fixture for AU$29.99 per month.

FourFourTwo's prediction: Sunderland 0-3 Chelsea.