Chelsea travel to Sunderland on the final day of the 2025/26 Premier League season, with fitness headlines and a recent Stamford Bridge shock setting the tone for a match that could decide late-season fortunes.
Calum McFarlane, speaking on Friday, underlined the narrow margins: "Joao and Levi both trained today and that’s really promising," he said, adding: "We have another day of training tomorrow, so we will see how they are after that, but we’re hopeful they’ll both be fit for Sunday." McFarlane confirmed Reece James trained, too, but warned the staff would "play it day by day" after heavy minutes in the cup season: "He’s fit and in a good condition, but we know that we’ve had to manage Reece correctly over the last few games."
The numbers give the match weight. Chelsea returned to eighth in the table after beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on Tuesday — ending a seven-game league winless run — while Sunderland beat Everton away at the weekend and arrive two places, one point and a goal-difference chasm below Chelsea. Enzo Fernández has been central to Chelsea’s recovery, with 10 Premier League goals and 14 goal involvements this season; his last two league goals have come from outside the box. For Sunderland, Joao Pedro brings form, having been involved in seven goals in his last nine Premier League appearances and scoring in both of his last two league games against newly promoted opposition. The WAGNH Community’s preferred lineup — a 4-2-3-1 chosen by 53 percent of voters — even put Jorrel Hato at centre back ahead of a raft of established names.
Context matters: the Sunderland vs Chelsea final-day meeting carries more than club pride. The result could affect clubs chasing the remaining UEFA places as much as it decides who leaves the season on a high. Historically, Chelsea have dominated trips to the northeast — they have won 10, drawn two and lost one of their 13 previous Premier League visits to Sunderland and have lost just one of their last 13 top-flight away games against this opponent. Chelsea have also lost their final league match in only two of the last 14 seasons, making them the team the form books favour on paper.
Still, that paper advantage collides with inconvenient facts. Sunderland beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in October and are chasing their first league double over Chelsea since 2000-01. The Black Cats have shown a particular resilience this season, recovering a league-high 22 points from losing positions. Granit Xhaka’s six Premier League assists for Sunderland and Joao Pedro’s recent goal involvement underline a side that can punish any slip-up.
The tension centres on availability and momentum. Chelsea’s recent win over Tottenham halted a seven-game winless streak, but McFarlane’s cautious wording about Reece James — "He obviously played a lot of minutes in the [FA Cup] final, which was a tough game against a really good side, so it was going to take a lot out of him, so we didn’t want to risk him on Tuesday. We felt like we had enough to see the game out, which proved to be correct, and we’re hoping to have Reece available on Sunday." — makes fitness the fine margin. Sunderland’s belief is bolstered by the October victory at Stamford Bridge and by a record for turning games around, but Chelsea’s superior historical return from trips to the Stadium of Light and Fernández’s goalscoring form give them an edge.
On balance, the decisive factors are clear: if Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill are fit as McFarlane hopes, and if Reece James is available beyond a managed cameo, Chelsea have the personnel to tilt a tight game in their favour. If fitness doubts persist and Sunderland draw on their habit of recovering points, the final day could end with a result that reshuffles late-season positions rather than simply confirming form lines. Either way, the match at the Stadium of Light will settle more than a rivalry — it will test whether Chelsea’s return to form can overcome Sunderland’s momentum and appetite for a historic double.
