Chelsea host Sunderland on Saturday with momentum behind the home side and questions around availability across both squads. Chelsea arrive on a winning run that has lifted them to fifth in the table; they could finish the weekend as high as second only if a series of unlikely results fall their way. The Blues are still searching for a first league victory over Sunderland since their last meeting in 2017.

Sunderland have made an encouraging start to life back in the top flight. The newly promoted side sit level on points with Chelsea and have been beaten only twice in the Premier League, both defeats coming away from home. Their away numbers are notable: just one goal in four league trips so far.

Injuries and suspensions will shape selection. Cole Palmer is absent with a return pencilled in for after the November international break. Levi Colwill and Liam Delap are long-term absentees. Benoît Badiashile will be missing until December after suffering another injury setback before the October international period, joining Dário Essugo in the treatment room. Mykhailo Mudryk is serving a provisional suspension after failing a drugs test. Malo Gusto is suspended following a late red card at the City Ground. João Pedro served a one-match European ban midweek but is available for the weekend.

Enzo Maresca rotated his squad for the midweek Ajax tie, resting Robert Sánchez, Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Pedro Neto.

Régis Le Bris is expected to make few changes after the win over Wolves but will be without Omar Alderete due to concussion. Habib Diarra, Dennis Cirkin, Romaine Mundle, Leo Hjelde and Aji Alese remain in the treatment room. Reinildo returns from a three-match suspension.

Goalkeeper Robin Roefs has been a key signing for Sunderland since last summer, while Wilson Isidor will lead the line. Bertrand Traoré might be omitted after a subdued display against Wolves.

Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; James, Acheampong, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Neto, Fernández, Garnacho; Pedro.

Sunderland predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Hume, Ballard, Mukiele, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Adingra, Rigg, Le Fée; Isidor.

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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed striker Liam Delap is back in training and could return to competitive action before the end of the month. Maresca made clear that Saturday’s visit from Sunderland remains too soon, but he suggested Wednesday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers could be a sensible target.

“Liam took part in the session yesterday with the team for the first time, so he’s not going to be available for tomorrow’s game, but probably for the next match,” Maresca explained. “He can be available.”

Delap’s imminent comeback would arrive at an important moment. Chelsea have struggled in front of goal in his absence, and João Pedro, another summer signing, has been required to tweak his role to help cover for the Englishman. That adjustment has coincided with a drop in his output.

Pedro should be well rested for Saturday after being forced to sit out the 5–1 win over Ajax through suspension. Chelsea had no trouble finding the net against the Dutch visitors, and one of the game’s standout moments came when captain Enzo Fernández passed to Estêvão so the young Brazilian could take the penalty his quick feet had won. Estêvão converted from 12 yards.

“It’s very, very good,” Maresca reflected. “I told the players after the game that for sure we were very happy about the winning, about the three points against Ajax.

“But the main thing about that game was Enzo, when he gave the ball to Estêvão we got to show how is the team in this moment, how they are all together in terms of togetherness, in terms of effort and this is what we need if we want to try to do something important.”

With Delap training again, Maresca has options to restore a striker who could relieve pressure on attacking teammates and provide fresh competition as Chelsea look to maintain momentum in cup and league fixtures.

Chelsea produced a dominant 5–1 victory over Ajax at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League, selecting an exceptionally young side and turning the tie into a showcase for its emerging talent. The starting XI had an average age of 22 years, 163 days, making it the second youngest line-up fielded by an English club in the competition. Arsenal still hold the record with a side from 2009 aged 21 years, 151 days.

At 21, the Belgian midfielder was a relative veteran of the side, while Tosin Adarabioyo, 27, was the oldest starter. Marc Guiu, making his first start of the season after a loan at Sunderland was cancelled, opened the scoring. Estêvão converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time, and Tyrique George came off the bench at half-time to finish Chelsea’s fifth soon after his introduction.

The goals brought immediate individual milestones. At the time of his strike, 19-year-old Guiu became Chelsea’s youngest ever goalscorer in a Champions League fixture, a record he held for 32 minutes before 18-year-old Estêvão lowered it. George, also 19 and marginally younger than Guiu, began the night by entering the club’s history and finished it third on that list. With three different teenagers on the scoresheet, Chelsea became the first club in the Champions League era to register goals from three separate teenagers in the same match.

Maresca, who also introduced 17-year-old Reggie Walsh and 19-year-old Josh Acheampong from the bench, reacted to the result and the performance. “I’m very proud,” Maresca said. “It’s a special night for the club, for the young players. I think Guiu already scored for Chelsea five or six goals last year in the Conference League, Ty already scored also in the Premier League and Estêvão is exactly the same. It was a great night, especially for these young players and for the club.”

On the selection policy, Maresca added: “It’s the strategy of the club. We have so many young players. I think already last season we were the youngest squad in the history of the Premier League, so this season we continue in the same way.” With Lavia the only player retained from the side that began against Forest on Saturday, the manager stressed the need for rotation. “We changed tonight from the Forest game 10 players. It’s not easy from the Premier League to the Champions League to change so many players, but we need to do that, otherwise they are going to struggle because of many games,” the manager explained.