Watch Sunderland V Chelsea Live Stream Barclays Premier League Match 4 -December 2013. Sunderland captain John O'Shea is expected to be fit despite suffering a muscle injury against Aston Villa.
The Black Cats remain without Kieren Westwood and Carlos Cuellar because of respective shoulder and hip problems.Watch Sunderland V Chelsea Live, Watch Sunderland V Chelsea Live Stream, Watch Sunderland V Chelsea Free Live Stream, Watch Sunderland V Chelsea Online, Watch Sunderland V Chelsea Online Free, Sunderland V Chelsea Live, Sunderland V Chelsea live stream Online.
Chelsea midfielder Oscar is ruled out after injuring his ankle against Southampton.
David Luiz remains sidelined by a knee problem, but Samuel Eto'o is back in training following a hamstring strain and could feature.
MATCH PREVIEW
Even after over a dozen years away, Gus Poyet's heart still beats blue. He's been associated with five other clubs since leaving Chelsea, but for many the Uruguayan will forever be most closely linked with the first English club he left his mark on.
This, then, is a big occasion - Poyet's first match against Chelsea as a head coach. He was assistant to Juande Ramos at Tottenham when they beat them in the 2008 League Cup final, but this is the first time his very own team will take them on.
As a player, he didn't get results in reunions - six games for Spurs, just one win. As Sunderland head coach, he's already had results.
Seven points from six league games is a marked improvement from the one from seven they'd previously managed.
Can he keep them in the Premier League? I think so.
After this game and Saturday's against Spurs, most of the division's top-half teams will have come and gone from the Stadium of Light this season.
Eight of the Black Cats' remaining 11 home league games will be against sides currently in the bottom half, and it is results on Wearside that will determine their fate.
Like a menacing warship, Chelsea have quietly cruised into second place and the box seat from which to attack Arsenal's lead.
They don't seem to be anywhere near 'full power' yet either, with Jose Mourinho emphasising after Sunday's comeback win against Southampton that this is a team going "step by step, understanding my ideas and mentality progressively".
The language used might not be progressive if Chelsea don't win this one - especially given Mourinho's mood after defeat at Newcastle in their last north-east trip a month ago.
It is now when title challengers step it up, and anything other than victory at a ground where they've won eight in a row would be - to all true Blues except Poyet - unthinkable.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Chelsea have won the last five encounters, and 16 of the previous 17. The only exception to that sequence is the Black Cats' 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge on 14 November 2010.
The last time Sunderland got anything out of a home game against Chelsea was on 9 December 2001 when they drew 0-0. Their last home win over the Blues was a 1-0 victory on 14 October 2000.
Sunderland
Victory would give Sunderland three successive home league wins for the first time since January-February 2012.
The Black Cats have netted 12 goals in their last 14 home league games.
They have registered 30 shots on target in top-flight matches this season, fewer than any other side. They managed only one effort on target against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Chelsea
The Blues are looking to record back-to-back away league wins for the first time since Jose Mourinho rejoined the club, and for only the second time in 2013.
No striker has scored an away league goal for Chelsea in 2013. Fernando Torres was the last centre forward to net on the road for the Blues, doing so in a 3-1 win at Sunderland on 8 December 2012.
Blues striker Romelu Lukaku has scored seven league goals away from home in 2013 while on loan at West Brom and Everton.
Only seven of Chelsea's 24 league goals this season have been scored away from home.
Chelsea have been caught offside more often than any other Premier League side this season (43 times).