Chelsea vs. Sunderland: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview

Chelsea let three points slip away against Southampton last weekend, which dropped the Blues to third place behind Tottenham. Now they must prepare for a key match with Sunderland. The Black Cats will be under the guidance of new manager Paolo Di Canio.

The Blues did bounce back nicely after the loss to Southampton. They picked up an FA Cup victory over Premier League leaders Manchester United to reach the semifinals and scored a 3-1 triumph over Rubin Kazan in the first leg of their Europa League matchup.

Progress at Sunderland hasn't been nearly as positive. The Black Cats haven't won a match since Jan. 19 against Wigan Athletic, a span of eight games. The cold spell has dropped them within one point of the relegation zone. The onus is on Di Canio to make sure they remain in the top flight.

Here's a look at all the key information for the Premier League clash, followed by some players to watch and a match prediction.

Where: Stamford Bridge in London, England

When: Sunday, April 7 at 10 a.m. ET

Watch: Full List via LiveSoccerTV.com (Live stream only in U.S.)

Live Stream: Fox Soccer 2Go

Chelsea Player to Watch: Juan Mata

Mata had a strong debut campaign with the Blues, but he's taken his play to another level this season. The dynamic playmaker has accounted for 10 goals and 13 assists. He's also been one of the club's most reliable players throughout its up-and-down season.

The 24-year-old attacking midfielder combines a terrific combination of vision and creativity with strong finishing ability and pinpoint passing skills to make him one of the league's most dangerous players moving forward. He's always possessed those raw skills; now he's starting to put it all together.

One of the biggest problems in last week's loss to Southampton, a match that didn't feature Mata, was an inability to control possession. That's one area where Mata's presence will certainly help and should allow the Blues to control the pace of the match.

Sunderland Player to Watch: Adam Johnson

How fans view Johnson is a matter of perspective. While he hasn't lived up to the hype he generated during his time with Manchester City, he's still a rock-solid contributor in the midfield and still has time to further develop into star.

The England international has tallied four goals and eight assists in his first season with the Black Cats. There have been moments of tremendous play, including the goal seen in the video above. Sunderland hope he can make those glimpses of greatness more frequent over time.

His job against Chelsea will be putting pressure on the Blues' strong midfield to ensure it doesn't become a lopsided match. If Johnson and his fellow midfielders aren't able to keep the possession battle close, the match likely turns into a sizable victory for the home club.

Matchup to Watch: Petr Cech vs. Simon Mignolet

A battle of workhorse goalkeepers as Cech and Mignolet face off. Both keepers have shown the ability to steal matches during the current campaign and throughout their careers. It makes for a worrisome situation for the Blues, who need all three points from the match.

The good news for Chelsea is that Mignolet should be the more tested keeper. The Blues should be able to create a lot of scoring chances against a Sunderland side that's in poor form. Sooner or later that should allow them to break through.

The same can't be said for the Black Cats. They have scored just two goals over their past three matches, and an overall lack of opportunities in the final third is a key reason for their winless streak. It should make for a pretty easy day for Cech and, more importantly, a Chelsea victory.

Prediction

Chelsea 2, Sunderland 0