Sunderland vs Chelsea prediction, odds and how to watch

Chelsea put Bournemouth to the sword with a dominant 5-1 victory, with Jordan Henderson grabbing a brace and João Pedro netting twice before half-time had even settled. Bournemouth's four yellow cards told the story of a side that had no answer and no plan.

Brighton came to the Stadium of Light and did what good sides do. They waited, they competed, and they punished Sunderland when it mattered.

Sunderland host Chelsea on Sunday having conceded ten goals in their last five Premier League matches. The visitors arrive unpredictable, leaky, and dangerous in equal measure.

Sunderland host Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night, looking to back up their opening win and prove they belong at this level. The question is whether they have the desire to see it through.

Lech Poznań host Sunderland in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening, and the visitors arrive with a clean sheet already banked in this competition. The question is whether Lech can recover their domestic sharpness after a chastening result against Crystal Palace.

Cole Palmer has signed a new Chelsea contract until 2034, upgrading terms agreed just two years ago and joining Joao Pedro and Geovany Quenda on matching deals. The extension comes despite an injury-hit season that cost Palmer his England World Cup spot, as Chelsea double down on their long-term contract strategy.

Xabi Alonso has publicly defended Cole Palmer's commitment to England, confirming the Chelsea forward's Nations League withdrawal stemmed from a recurrence of his pubalgia problem, not reluctance to play. The rebuttal follows Thomas Tuchel's pointed criticism and Piers Morgan's 'bottle job' jibe, turning a fitness update into a club-versus-country trust dispute ahead of November's Croatia and Spain fixtures.

Granit Xhaka has accepted a suspended fine of CHF150,000 (£136,000) after admitting he obtained a forged Covid-19 vaccination certificate in 2022. The Sunderland and Switzerland captain faces no further sporting sanction and is set to return against Brighton on 15 October.