When this fixture dropped on each team's calendar in June, few on either side could have imagined that come the ninth week of the Premier League season, Chelsea and Sunderland would be level on points. The Blues would surely have feared the worst, and yet there is no great cause for concern over the start to the season at Stamford Bridge. Instead the tale going into this game is how impressively their visitors have adapted to life in the Premier League.

Sunderland have taken 14 points from their first eight matches of this season, riding an outstanding defense to wins over the likes of West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Wolves that may prove to be absolutely critical when the relegation places are decided. That defense will have to do without the impressive Omar Alderete, who is going throug

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