Sunderland vs chelsea preview: where to watch, likely lineups and betting odds

sunderland and chelsea face off in must-watch final day clash

The Premier League’s final matchday delivers a gripping encounter as Sunderland hosts Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, May 24, 2026, at 5:00 PM local time. With both teams in the hunt for European football, the stakes couldn’t be higher for either side.

Chelsea, once a Champions League hopeful, has plummeted to eighth place after a dismal run of seven games without a win, including six defeats. Their Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain and a FA Cup final loss to Manchester City have compounded their struggles. Now clinging to a fragile eighth spot, a top-seven finish—potentially securing Europa League qualification—remains within reach but is far from guaranteed.

Meanwhile, Sunderland, in only their second season back in the top flight after years in the lower divisions, are just two points behind Chelsea. A victory could propel them into seventh place, marking their best league finish since 2010-2011. The Black Cats’ resurgence under Régis Le Bris has been remarkable, though their form has dipped in recent months. Their last-gasp 1-3 win at Everton has kept European dreams alive, but a win on Sunday is essential to overtake their rivals.

key details for the Sunderland vs Chelsea clash

• Date: Sunday, May 24, 2026
• Kickoff: 5:00 PM BST
• Venue: Stadium of Light, Sunderland
• Referee: Chris Kavanagh
• VAR: Available
• TV broadcast: CANAL+ Live 6
• Live streaming: CANAL+ digital platform

predicted match odds

• Sunderland win: 3.53
• Draw: 3.60
• Chelsea win: 1.97

sunderland’s dramatic rise under new ownership

Sunderland’s journey back to the Premier League has been nothing short of spectacular. After suffering two consecutive relegations to League One in 2018—a period immortalized in the documentary Sunderland ’Til I Die—the club faced one of its darkest eras. Financial instability, managerial chaos, and on-field failures painted a bleak picture.

All that changed with the takeover by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori. Since then, the Black Cats have climbed back to the Championship in 2022 and sealed promotion to the Premier League in May 2025 by defeating Sheffield United in the playoff final. This season, a bold £100 million-plus summer transfer haul—featuring stars like Granit Xhaka, Enzo Le Fée, Brian Brobbey, and Nordi Mukiele—has transformed the squad’s ambition. Under Le Bris, who arrived in 2024 from FC Lorient, Sunderland have defied expectations, consistently troubling the upper mid-table.

Despite a recent dip in form, their 3-1 victory at Everton has reignited hopes of a top-seven finish. With only one point separating them from eighth place and two from seventh, every point counts in what promises to be a nerve-wracking finale.

squad news: who’s fit for Sunderland?

Simon Moore remains sidelined, while Daniel Ballard serves a suspension. Romaine Mundle and Bertrand Traoré are questionable. In attack, expect Enzo Le Fée and Brian Brobbey—both match-winners at Everton—to lead the line, supported by midfield general Granit Xhaka.

Sunderland’s probable lineup:

• Robin Roefs
• Lutsharel Geertruida, Nordi Mukiele, Luke O’Nien, Reinildo Mandava
• Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki
• Trai Hume, Enzo Le Fée, Nilson Angulo
• Brian Brobbey

Head coach: Régis Le Bris

chelsea’s season of chaos and last-gasp chances

Chelsea’s campaign has been a rollercoaster of missed opportunities. Once tipped for a Champions League return, the Blues have stumbled badly, with a seven-game winless streak and a humiliating Champions League exit to PSG. Managerial changes—including the departures of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior—have further destabilized the club. With a new era under Xabi Alonso looming next season, this Sunday may be their final chance to salvage something from 2025-26.

Their eighth-place standing is a far cry from the lofty ambitions of an squad assembled with hundreds of millions. While a top-seven finish is still mathematically possible, a loss at Sunderland could relegate them to Conference League playoffs, a prospect that would only deepen the sense of failure surrounding Stamford Bridge.

Recent form offers a glimmer of hope: draws at Liverpool and a shock win over Tottenham have shown flashes of resilience, but the FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City has left fans questioning whether this season can be salvaged.

chelsea’s injury and suspension list

Estêvão Willian, Jamie Gittens, Mykhaïlo Mudryk are unavailable, while Malo Gusto, Roméo Lavia, and João Pedro remain doubtful. Enzo Fernández, who scored in the last matchday, is expected to start alongside Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer.

Chelsea’s probable lineup:

• Robert Sánchez
• Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella
• Moisés Caicedo, Andrey Santos
• Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández
• João Pedro

Head coach: Calum McFarlane

where to watch Sunderland vs Chelsea in France

French viewers can catch the action live on CANAL+ Live 6 starting at 5:00 PM on May 24. The match will also be available via the CANAL+ digital streaming platform.

a look back at the sunderland vs chelsea rivalry

In 126 competitive meetings, Chelsea holds a commanding 61-43-22 record over Sunderland, a dominance that has grown since Roman Abramovich’s takeover in 2003. While Chelsea rose to global prominence, Sunderland endured a prolonged decline, oscillating between relegations and lower-league struggles.

Before their October defeat (1-2), Chelsea had won 10 of their last 14 encounters against the Black Cats—all between 2011 and 2017, when both clubs existed in entirely different sporting realities. Sunderland’s recent victory at Stamford Bridge signaled their return as a competitive force, making Sunday’s clash one of intrigue and renewed rivalry.

players who left their mark at both clubs

Over 30 players have worn the shirts of both Sunderland and Chelsea, though their careers often reflected the contrasting fortunes of the two clubs. Many stars joined Chelsea at their peak before later moving to Sunderland in less glamorous circumstances.

Bertrand Traoré is a prime example. The Burkinabé winger, a highly touted youngster at Chelsea in the mid-2010s, never fully established himself in London despite loan spells at Aston Villa and Villarreal. His move to Sunderland this season has been hampered by injuries and stiff competition.

Marc Guiu, a La Masia graduate, briefly joined Chelsea before being loaned to Sunderland, though his spell was cut short by injuries in the Blues’ squad.

Marcos Alonso stands out as a success story. After a loan stint at Sunderland in 2014 where he rediscovered his form, he later became a key figure at Chelsea, winning the Premier League and Champions League under Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel.

Others include Dutch winger Boudewijn Zenden, who struggled with injuries at Chelsea before becoming a veteran presence at Sunderland, and Norwegian striker Tore André Flo, a fan favorite at Chelsea in the late 1990s whose later move to Sunderland ended in disappointment during a turbulent period.