Preview: Chelsea vs Sunderland
Chelsea look to extend their lead at the top.
Premier league leaders Chelsea play host to Sunderland aiming to keep their 100 per cent home record intact. Chelsea boast a perfect home record, triumphing in all six home league matches this term without conceding a goal.
The champions may not be in top form, with a defeat at Liverpool and an unconvincing 1-0 win over their West London rivals Fulham in midweek, but they have a four-point lead at the summit of the table and it would take a brave man to back the Black Cats
in West London on Sunday. Chelsea have lacked their cutting edge in front of goal in recent games with only three goals scored in as many games compared to 23 they scored in opening six fixtures.
Sunderland head to Stamford Bridge - a venue which hasn't traditionally been a happy hunting ground for them. Sunderland’s last win away at Chelsea came in 2000-01 (4-1) and they have lost all six games at the Blues' home ever since, including last season's
7-2 defeat. They head back to the capital for a second successive game after claiming a point at Tottenham thanks to Asamoah Gyan's third goal in two games.
The Black Cats are yet to win on their travels this season having gleaned just four points away from the Stadium of Light.
Chelsea go into the fixture without Ray Wilkins as the club announced on Thursday that they were not renewing Wilkins' contract, and that he was leaving immediately. His departure comes as a real shock for players and fans alike, considering manager Carlo
Ancelotti's saying that “Without him, we couldn't have won a thing last season”.
Wilkins joined the London club's coaching staff for a second stint in 2008 under Brazilian world cup winning coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari and had been working in the capacity of assistant manager under Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti.
Former Milan defender Paolo Maldini has been linked with the job as well as Ex-West Ham Manager Gianfranco Zola and Alessandro Costacurta. But, Chelsea are keen on appointing from within with assistant first team coach Paul Clement's name at the top of the
list.
Team News
Frank Lampard had hoped to be fit to play after being sidelined for two months with hernia problem but his comeback is hampered by a latest injury. The midfield enforcer tweaked an abductor muscle towards the end of Thursday's training session. He will be
out for two to three weeks. This is a setback for Ancelotti who had hoped to have his star player back for Sunday’s game.
Chelsea will have to do without Brazilian centre-half Alex who has a slight knee injury. Michael Essien misses this match through suspension after his straight red card for a lunge on Clint Dempsey in mid-week win over Fulham.
Nicolas Anelka is expected to return to starting line-up after shaking off back injury that ruled him out of midweek win over Fulham.
Sunderland will again be without their leading scorer Darren Bent who has a hamstring injury. John Mensah (shoulder) is also out, while Anton Ferdinand is doubtful with a hamstring problem.
Fraizer Campbell (knee), Matt Kilgallon (back) and Trevor Carson (shoulder) remain sidelined.
Player to watch: Didier Drogba
Drogba has scored nine goals in his last seven Premier League games at Stamford Bridge.
Prediction: Chelsea 3 Sunderland 0
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