By OkayGoal
Nordi Mukiele should be back, Luke O’Nien steps in for the suspended Omar Alderete, and Régis Le Bris brings his big names back into the side for the visit of Chelsea.
Sunderland host Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on Sunday 8 November (2pm UK time), and they go into it bottom of the Premier League. Nine games have brought one win, two draws and six defeats, with seven goals scored and 17 conceded. Their only league win came back in August.
The week has not helped. A 3-1 defeat at Coventry City last weekend cost them Alderete to a red card, and on Thursday the Stadium of Light booed them off after a 2-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League, as we covered in our Europa League results round-up. Yet this is the one opponent that brings back good memories: Sunderland beat Chelsea 2-1 home and away last season.
Sunderland predicted lineup vs Chelsea
Sunderland predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, O’Nien, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Rigg, Le Fée, Angulo; Brobbey
Le Bris rested several regulars against Dinamo and made four changes at half-time, so we expect most of them straight back in. Le Bris has said this week that shape, build-up and pressing are all being discussed with his senior players, but he also made it clear he will not tear things up: “It’s important to stick to the identity because if we move from one side to the other side, you lose your strength.” That points to the usual 4-2-3-1 rather than a new system.
The back five: who replaces Alderete?
Robin Roefs: no change in goal
Roefs was beaten twice on Thursday, the second a neat lob from Dion Drena Beljo, but there is no debate about the No.1 shirt. He keeps his place.
Trai Hume: back at right-back
Hume came off the bench at half-time against Dinamo and was one of the players who changed the second half. He starts at right-back.
Nordi Mukiele: cleared to return
Mukiele has missed the last three games after a head injury and had to get through concussion protocols. He is expected to be available, and he is a near-certain starter when fit, so he goes straight into the middle of the defence.
Luke O’Nien: in for the banned Alderete
Alderete serves a one-match ban after his red card at Coventry. Daniel Ballard is out with a hamstring injury too, so Le Bris is short of senior centre-backs. We think O’Nien gets the nod next to Mukiele, which keeps Reinildo free to play at left-back.
Reinildo: fresh legs on the left
Reinildo was one of those rested on Thursday, and he returns at left-back.
Midfield without Diarra
Granit Xhaka: the man everything goes through
With Habib Diarra out for around six weeks, as Le Bris confirmed in his Diarra injury update, Xhaka’s control matters more than ever. He starts at the base of midfield.
Noah Sadiki: back alongside him
Sadiki was another who sat out the Dinamo game. He comes back in next to Xhaka, which gives the double pivot its usual balance.
That matters even if Moises Caicedo misses out for the visitors. Jordan Henderson is the likeliest replacement in our Chelsea predicted lineup vs Sunderland, and he scored twice in Chelsea’s 5-1 win over Bournemouth last month.
Can the front four find a goal?
Chris Rigg: on the right
Rigg is a straightforward pick on the right of the three behind the striker, and his energy will be needed to help Hume against Chelsea’s wide players.
Enzo Le Fée: back at No.10
Le Fée was rested for Dinamo and comes back into the middle of the attacking three, where Sunderland need his passing to unlock a Chelsea side sitting fourth on 16 points.
Juan Riquelme Angulo: if the knock clears
The teenager is carrying a contact injury, which makes him the one real doubt in the front four. We still think he starts on the left. If he doesn’t make it, Chemsdine Talbi, who played at No.10 in the League Cup win over Brentford, is the obvious alternative.
Brian Brobbey: leads the line
Brobbey made a difference off the bench at half-time on Thursday. Sunderland have scored just seven league goals all season, and he is their best bet to add to that.
Who else is missing?
Alongside Alderete, Ballard and Diarra, Romaine Mundle is still recovering from knee surgery and is not expected back until around the turn of the year. Jarred Gillett is the referee, with Nick Hopton on VAR.
Sunderland have not beaten Chelsea in three games in a row since 2001. Do it on Sunday and the international break suddenly looks a lot calmer on Wearside.
Sunderland predicted lineup vs Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, O’Nien, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Rigg, Le Fée, Angulo; Brobbey