Sunderland vs Chelsea Preview – Saturday 5:30pm
Sunderland face Chelsea in Saturday’s late kick off and will be hoping to go their fourth consecutive game unbeaten. The Black Cats sit in 14th place but only three points above the relegation zone. A loss against Chelsea could see them slip in to the drop zone, however a win could edge them closer to the top half.
Seb Larsson has been one of the most encouraging parts of Sunderland’s season thus far, showing plenty of energy throughout. Larsson has completed the sixth most sprints of any Premier League player, having sprinted 704 times in total this season. Larsson has also covered more ground than the rest of his squad (122.9km) and ranks inside the division’s top 20 for distance covered, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Steven Fletcher is Sunderland’s top scorer so far this season. The Scotsman has scored four goals, averaging a goal every 187 minutes, which is almost exactly a one in two ratio. Fletcher’s goals have largely come down to his shooting, and the striker has managed to test the goalkeeper and according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index has recorded 60% of his shots on target so far this season. Fletcher is 21/5 to score any time with 888sport.
John O’Shea has recorded some impressive statistics from the heart of the Sunderland defence this season, and ranks as the 14th most accurate passer of anyone who has featured in every game so far. O’Shea has completed 85.5% of his passes over the first twelve matches. Only three defenders rank above him in pass success rate, his two opponents Gary Cahill and John Terry, as well as Liverpool defender DejanLovren.
Chelsea are now on 32 points at the top of the league, and only two sides in the league (Manchester City and Southampton) are closer to them at the top than to QPR in 20th place. A win here would see Chelsea extend their lead on one of, if not both of City and the Saints, as they face eachother on Sunday. Chelsea’s odds have shortened further to go unbeaten in the Premier League and they are now priced at 13/1 to last the season with 888sport.
Diego Costa scored yet again last weekend and now brings his tally for the season to eleven goals in ten games, and has averaged a goal every 76 minutes. An incredible 80.8% of Costa’s 26 shots have been on target this season, and the Spaniard scores a goal every 2.36 shots he has, which is quite astounding in comparison to the league’s top scorer Sergio Aguero, who averages a goal every 3.92 shots, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
At the other end of the pitch, Thibaut Courtois has been a key man in between the sticks. Courtois has featured in every Premier League match this season, and has kept three clean sheets so far this season. The Belgian keeper has recorded 2.4 saves to every goal he has conceded, and has let in under a goal a game (0.91 per game), according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.
Against West Brom last weekend, man of the match Cesc Fabregas set a Premier League record. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, Fabregas successfully completed 144 passes against The Baggies, which equates to 1.6 passes per minute. The next highest total in the Premier League last weekend was 93, recorded by Ryan Mason, a whole 51 passes less. Fabregas has now completed 923 successful passes this season, the most of any player in the division, and has covered the second most ground of any Premier League player (142.1km).
Sunderland:
Recent form: WLLWDD
Possible starting lineup: Pantilimon; Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Reveillere; Cattermole, Larsson, Rodwell; Johnson, Wickham, Fletcher
Chelsea:
Recent League Form: WWDWWW
Possible starting lineup: Courtois; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Costa
Prediction
Routine win for the league leaders. 0-3
Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars with at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate team.
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