Sunderland vs. Chelsea: How the Blues Will Line Up in Premier League Game

Chelsea travel to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light this weekend for Saturday’s evening kick-off in the Premier League. The Blues remain unbeaten in all competitions this season and will be hoping to extend that run against former player Gus Poyet’s side.

Jose Mourinho was full of praise for his side’s first-half performance against West Bromwich Albion last weekend, per the official Chelsea website.

"The first half was brilliant, beautiful," he said. "The quality of our football was high, another dimension. We were playing so well, so fast and fluid. We made the pitch wide, creating spaces to play. We scored two goals and should have scored more than that, it was fantastic."

Having continued their fine form with a 5-0 win over Schalke in the Champions League on Wednesday, it is hard to envisage Mourinho making many changes to his first choice starting XI for Saturday.

Thibaut Courtois is guaranteed to start in goal despite statistics showing that he has not been as consistent for the Blues as Petr Cech was last season, per Russell Cane of The Independent. However, Mourinho is steadfastly sticking with his original decision, and it is difficult to see him changing his mind this side of Christmas.

Cesar Azpilicueta made his first Champions League appearance of the season against Schalke and should keep his place for the trip to Sunderland. With no injury concerns, the centre-half pairing of John Terry and Gary Cahill virtually chooses itself, with Branislav Ivanovic completing the back four at right-back.

Cesc Fabregas has 10 Premier League assists for the season and is showing no signs of slowing down soon. The midfielder cut a frustrated figure during his time at Barcelona but is relishing his role in the Chelsea side, per Chelsea's official website:

"

I don’t think I am exaggerating if I don’t remember playing and enjoying a football match as much as I did personally in the first half. Some people who didn’t watch the game will think 2-0, it was just an okay game but it was much more than that. It was a beautiful performance, very consistent, a clean sheet, we created plenty of chances and we had control of the game.

"

That control of the game came from the partnership Fabregas has struck with Nemanja Matic in the middle of the park. The Serbian has grown from strength to strength since his return to the club and offers far more in both attack and defence than the other central midfielders available at the moment.

Eden Hazard has been relishing the freedom that comes from having a reliable goalscorer up front and has been one of the Blues' best players so far. He has dribbled past the opposition 62 times in just 12 Premier League appearances, scoring four goals and assisting one more in the process.

Oscar will reprise his No. 10 role, which has yielded three goals and three assists so far, while Willian's emergence as the perfect Mourinho winger will see him complete the attacking trio.

Diego Costa was taken off after 65 minutes of the game against Schalke, having registered two shots on target from three attempted. His record of 11 goals in 10 Premier League appearances makes it highly unlikely he will sit this match out as the Blues look to maintain their six point lead at the top of the table.

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With two games a week every week in December, Mourinho could make early changes if his side are able to end this match as a contest within the first half. However, with Sunderland having ended his unbeaten home run at Stamford Bridge last season, he will be aware of the threat they pose to his team’s unbeaten record so far this season.

Statistics via WhoScored.com.