Postpublished at 14 mins
Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
John O'Shea has listened to his manager's words about not taking any risks as he wallops a ball over the top out of play.
Win will move Chelsea six points clear at the top
Blues without injured Eden Hazard
Sunderland currently bottom of the table
Gary Rose
Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
John O'Shea has listened to his manager's words about not taking any risks as he wallops a ball over the top out of play.
Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
This graphic tells you all you need to know about how much Chelsea are dominating possession. Jan Kirchhoff briefly has the ball for the hosts but immediately gives it away, prompting a a fuming David Moyes to fire off a few stern words in his direction.
The Sunderland boss knows any sloppiness against the Premier League leaders will be punished.
Dennis Ethan: Won't be surprised if Sunderland end Chelsea's winning streak
Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
Not much in this as we approach the 10 minute mark. Chelsea are seeing more of the ball but the home fans will be pleased to see their side are coping with their imperious visitors at the moment.
Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
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Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
Sunderland have a knack of getting a decent result against Chelsea, and they give them something to think about as Billy Jones races onto Jermain Defoe's pass down the right. Jones swings in a cross, it's wayward but almost flies into the far corner.
Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
It's Chelsea on the front foot in these early exchanges, the Blues confidently stroking the ball around the pitch. Marcos Alonso breaks forward down the left and his cross is deflected behind by Billy Jones. Cesc Fabregas' corner is cleared.
Robert: Here's to Bradley Lowery. What a little superstar!
Sunderland 0-0 Chelsea
Peeep!
Sunderland get us under way.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Out come the two teams, followed by their respective managers. David Moyes pops over to the Chelsea dugout and shakes Antonio Conte's hand. Both have body warmers on tonight. It's a cold one.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Bradley has just got a few tips off Diego Costa before firing a penalty beyond Asmir Begovic.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
It promises to be an emotional night at the Stadium of Light tonight for reasons away from football.
You may remember in September, Everton donated £200,000 to a cancer treatment fund for Sunderland mascot Bradley Lowery.
Last week, Bradley's parents announced, external the heartbreaking news that the five-year-old's cancer is terminal and has been told he only has months to live.
Bradley will again lead Sunderland out at the Stadium of Light tonight as mascot for their game against Chelsea and has just scored past Chelsea keeper Asmir Begovic in the pre-match warm-up.
A Christmas card campaign has also been set up by an Everton fan and Bradley has now received more than 11,000 cards from well-wishers. Watch more in the video below.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Grab a cup of coffee, because a midweek Match of the Day is always worth staying up for. Dan Walker, Phil Neville and Alan Shearer will be in the studio tonight, and you can watch on BBC One from 22:45 GMT.
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Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Marcos Alonso isn't the only player facing a former club tonight.
There are three former Chelsea players in the Sunderland squad - Papy Djilobodji, Patrick van Aanholt and Fabio Borini.
But the trio didn't make much of an impact at Stamford Bridge.
Djilobodji made one first-team appearance for Chelsea while Borini and Van Aanholt both played just eight times for the club.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
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Chelsea full-back Marcos Alonso returns to Sunderland tonight where he became a fan favourite during a loan spell from Fiorentina in 2014.
Alonso made 20 appearances for the Black Cats under Gus Poyet, helping the club in their annual escape from relegation.
"I’ve played once against Real Madrid but it was a friendly, so this will be my first proper game against a former club," Alonso told Chelsea's website.
"I will prepare the same way, I like to go into games doing the same thing. I won’t think too much about it but it will be special to play at the Stadium of Light as an away player.
"People like Seb Larsson and Lee Cattermole, who were my team-mates at Sunderland, are still there and it will be good to see them. I still have a few friends there."
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Hear that? That's the sound of millions of Fantasy Football players collectively weeping at the news that Eden Hazard isn't in the squad tonight. Admit it, you made him captain didn't you?
You'd imagine Chelsea fans aren't overly concerned about his absence tonight, with Willian - outstanding for much of last season - replacing the forward while they still have Diego Costa leading the line.
They may have the quality to step in, but Antonio Conte might be a tiny bit concerned about having to tweak a winning side. He's named an unchanged XI in eight of Chelsea's past nine games.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Sunderland boss David Moyes makes four changes for the visit of Chelsea. John O’Shea, Jan Kirchhoff, Adnan Januzaj and Fabio Borini all come in. Steven Pienaar and Victor Anichebe have not been included in the squad.
Sunderland XI: Pickford, Jones, Kone, Djilobodji, O’Shea, van Aanholt, Denayer, Kirchhoff, Borini, Januzaj, Defoe. Subs: Mannone, Larsson, Khazri, Love, Asoro, Maja, Honeyman.
There's two changes for Chelsea as Willian replaces Eden Hazard, who picked up a knock against West Brom last time out. Nemanja Matic is replaced by Cesc Fabregas as Antonio Conte rotates his squad.
Chelsea XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Diego Costa, Pedro. Subs: Begovic, Ivanovic, Zouma, Chalobah, Matic, Loftus-Cheek, Batshuayi.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator
It might be bottom versus top, but this is the sort of game Sunderland win.
No, I've not been at the sherry prematurely, I've just seen them do it before.
From Chelsea themselves losing 4-1 in December 1999, through a 2-1 win over Liverpool in an awful season in 2002, to a 1-0 Boxing Day win against Manchester City in 2012 - the big guns have more than occasionally come a cropper at the Stadium of Light around this time of year.
For it to happen, everything would have to be right for them. Defoe, Pickford, the alignment of the moon and stars....and Chelsea's would have to have one almighty off-night.
Sunderland v Chelsea (19:45 GMT)
Well what a treat this is! Halfway through the working week and we have an absolute smorgasbord of football to feast on.
There's eight games in the Premier League tonight, but if you are in here then it's all about top versus bottom as Chelsea travel to Sunderland.
Here's hoping for an early Christmas cracker...
You don't often see a warning sign for no hazard, but that's what could be in the minds' eye of many Chelsea fans making the trip to Sunderland tonight.
The Blues may be top of the table, they may be facing the side currently propping up the division and they may be on a run of nine consecutive league wins but they will be without one of their stars of the season.
Eden Hazard is injured and hasn't travelled to the Stadium of Light. Can Chelsea cope without their mercurial talent?