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CHELSEA v Sunderland: Preview


Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Saturday, 19 April
Kick-off: 17.30 BST

No messing about today, yet another must-win game as Sunderland come for a visit looking to upset us as much as they upset City this week.
No excuses for us either with a late kick-off and the chance of a lie-in, so let’s do it.

MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into yet another crucial game, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says…..well actually he says nothing at all because he’s not talking to the press so assistant coach Steve Holland says “Jose has been very similar to normal. He is constantly on to the players about the importance of the performance and winning, looking for different ways to motivate individuals and the group for every match. This is a crucial period and the most important message from Jose to all of them is we will need everybody in our group. They have to understand that. We won’t get through this process with 11 or 12 players. It’s a group of games where we’ll need everyone, and they’ll have to give everything when their opportunity arises. Jose is a very experienced manager in these situations, who knows how to handle himself. But as the leader, the players are always looking at him, to see how he’s dealing with things.
The table is real now, yes. It’s a fact, a reality, that if we win all four we will be champions. We do have our destiny in our own hands.”
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet meanwhile, insists he could take it out of our hands, saying
“We know the record, and we know how difficult it is to win there. People will look at us, our situation in the league and say ‘why Sunderland’? Why should it be Sunderland who should be the ones to be the first ones to beat Chelsea there under Mourinho? But I say why not? I think the idea is just to go there and compete. If we go there and compete, play well, create chances, score and then Chelsea are better than us, then no-one would be surprised. But we have to go to Chelsea believing we can do something and pick up points. After all, nobody expected anything from us at Manchester City, and we responded by putting in one of our best performances away from home all season and taking a point – and it could easily have been more.”

SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, Eden Hazard (calf) misses out but otherwise Jose Mourinho has a full squad to choose from.
For Sunderland, long term absentees Keiren Westwood (shoulder) and Steven Fletcher (ankle) are joined by Liam Bridcutt (personal reasons), Ki Sung-yueng (knee) and Carlos Cuellar (hamstring). Phil Bardsley completes his two-match ban although Ondrej Celustka returns to the squad.

TEAMS
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta; Matic, Luiz; Salah, Oscar, Willian; Eto’o
SUNDERLAND (Possible line-up): Mannone; Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Alonso; Cattermole, Larsson; Johnson, Borini, Colback; Wickham

LAST MEETING (PL)
Sunderland 3-4 Chelsea (4th December 2013)

PREDICTION
I don’t even want to debate possible outcomes – bricking it!

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