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2025/26 Premier League MW9 Chelsea vs. Sunderland Preview:
Can The Black Cats jinx the Blues' streak at Stamford Bridge?

October 23, 2025 by Marc Jerbs

Chelsea will host Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, October 25, 2025, with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 PM BST. The Blues enter this clash seeking their fifth consecutive win across all competitions, while the Black Cats look to maintain their strong form and secure a third win in four matches.

Recent Form

Chelsea's Recent Performance

Chelsea is riding a wave of momentum, having won four straight matches in all competitions. Their run includes a 5-1 Champions League thrashing of Ajax and a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Liverpool.

In the Premier League, Chelsea currently holds a record of 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses (14 points), placing them 5th in the table. The Blues have scored 16 goals and conceded 9, maintaining an average possession of 59.25%, highlighting their dominance in ball control and build-up play.

Sunderland's Recent Performance

Sunderland arrives in London in strong form, following a 2-0 victory over Wolves. They have won two of their last three, including a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest, with only a narrow loss to Manchester United in between.

The Black Cats are level on points with Chelsea (14 points) and currently sit 7th in the Premier League. They have scored an average of 1.2 goals per game while conceding only 6 goals all season—a testament to their defensive discipline under manager Régis Le Bris.

Chelsea vs. Sunderland Sports Bet Odds

The Blues are the favorites to win the game. Here are our latest odds:

• The Blues are favored by 1 goal, with full-time result odds of 1.42.
• The Black Cats are the underdogs by 1 goal, with full-time result odds of 7.50.
• Draw has full-time result odds of 4.75.
• Total is set at 2.5 goals, with Under odds at 2.10 and Over odds at 1.72.

Team News and Injury Updates

Chelsea Injury Update

Chelsea continues to manage several absences. Benoît Badiashile, Cole Palmer, Dario Essugo, Levi Colwill, and Liam Delap remain sidelined long-term. Enzo Fernández has returned to training after a knee issue and could feature, while João Pedro's suspension status remains unclear. Malo Gusto may also face domestic suspension following a previous red card.

Sunderland Team News

Sunderland could welcome back Noah Sadiki and Omar Alderete, who were recently assessed for injuries sustained on international duty. Luke O'Nien continues recovery from a wrist injury and is expected back in early November. Le Bris' squad looks close to full strength heading into this crucial away test.

Tactical Analysis

Chelsea's Approach

Under Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea have leaned into a possession-based 4-2-3-1, using quick transitional width and high pressing to suffocate opponents. The Blues' attacking flow is built around fluid midfield rotations and overlapping full-backs that stretch defensive lines. With Enzo Fernández dictating tempo and Nicolas Jackson exploiting spaces behind defenders, Chelsea's front third movement remains one of their biggest threats.

However, Chelsea's vulnerability lies in defensive transitions. When the full-backs push high, the center-backs are often isolated—something Sunderland's counterattacking pace could exploit.

Sunderland's Approach

Régis Le Bris has molded Sunderland into a compact, counter-punching unit. Utilizing a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, the Black Cats rely on mid-block pressing, quick vertical passes, and fluid midfield creativity led by Enzo Le Fée. Granit Xhaka's composure in deep midfield allows Sunderland to control transitions, while Eliezer Mayenda's movement in the box adds finishing precision. Their defensive setup—anchored by Mukiele and Alderete—is disciplined and hard to break down, making them a genuine threat on the counter against possession-heavy sides like Chelsea.

Historical Head-to-Head

Chelsea dominates this fixture historically, with 23 wins, 2 draws, and 7 losses in 32 Premier League meetings. Sunderland's last victory came in 2016, while their last encounter in 2017 ended in a 5-1 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have also won their last three home league games against Sunderland by an aggregate score of 11-3.

Key Players to Watch

Chelsea

• Cole Palmer – 14 goals, 6 assists in 27 appearances; Chelsea's creative heartbeat.
• Nicolas Jackson – 9 goals and 5 assists, known for his pace and clinical finishing.
• Enzo Fernández – Orchestrates play from deep with sharp passing and vision.

Sunderland

• Granit Xhaka – Provides leadership and tactical balance in midfield.
• Enzo Le Fée – The team's creative engine, capable of unlocking defenses.
• Eliezer Mayenda – Emerging goal threat with 15 goal contributions last season.
• Nordi Mukiele & Omar Alderete – Defensive anchors key to Sunderland's stability.

Final Thought

his matchup pits Chelsea's possession-heavy dominance against Sunderland's disciplined counter-attacking system—a true test of patience and tactical execution. If the Blues can maintain control without overcommitting, they should extend their winning streak. Yet, Sunderland's resilience and structured shape could frustrate Chelsea if they fail to convert early chances. Expect a strategic battle at Stamford Bridge, where every transition could decide the outcome.

2025/26 Premier League Table

#	CLUB	W	D	L	PTS
1	Arsenal	6	1	1	19
2	Manchester City	5	1	2	15
3	Bournemouth	4	3	1	15
4	Liverpool	5	0	3	15
5	Chelsea	4	2	2	14
6	Tottenham Hotspur	4	2	2	14
7	Sunderland	4	2	2	14
8	Crystal Palace	3	4	1	13
9	Manchester United	4	1	3	13
10	Brighton and Hove Albion	3	3	2	12
11	Aston Villa	3	3	2	12
12	Everton	3	2	3	11
13	Brentford	3	1	4	10
14	Newcastle United	2	3	3	9
15	Fulham	2	2	4	8
16	Leeds United	2	2	4	8
17	Burnley	2	1	5	7
18	Nottingham Forest	1	2	5	5
19	West Ham United	1	1	6	4
20	Wolverhampton	0	2	6	2

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St. Leger Stakes

The St. Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile, 6 furlongs and 132 yards (2,937 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September.

Established in 1776, the St. Leger is the oldest of Britain's five Classics. It is the last of the five to be run each year, and it is raced over a longer distance than any of the previous four.

The St. Leger is the final leg of the English Triple Crown, preceded by the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby. It also completes the Fillies' Triple Crown, which begins with the 1,000 Guineas and continues with the Oaks. In recent decades, however, the St. Leger has rarely featured a Triple Crown contender.

The event was devised by Anthony St. Leger, an army officer and politician who lived near to Doncaster. The race did not initially bear his name - it was first referred to as "A Sweepstake of 25 Guineas". It was restricted to horses aged three, and its original distance was two miles. The rules stipulated that colts were to carry 8 st, and fillies 7 st 12 lb.

The inaugural running was held at Cantley Common on 24 September 1776. The first winner was an unnamed filly owned by the event's organizer, the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham. The filly was later named Allabaculia. The event was moved to its present location, Town Moor, in 1778... more St. Leger Stakes info »