Chelsea supporters are confident their team will beat Sunderland on Sunday, but underlying statistics suggest Xabi Alonso's side could face a tougher Premier League test than expected.

According to a report by The Chelsea Chronicle on Friday, 6 November 2026, 93 per cent of supporters who voted in its TalkingPoints poll predicted a Chelsea victory, despite concerns raised by Sunderland's underlying performances this season.

Chelsea head into the fixture at the Stadium of Light after returning to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United last weekend. The result followed disappointing defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

The Blues currently occupy fourth position in the Premier League, while Sunderland are bottom after collecting just five points from their opening nine matches.

Regis Le Bris' side have managed only one league victory, scoring five goals and conceding 17. Their goal difference of -10 is the second-worst in the division.

Recent defeats against Coventry City and Dinamo Zagreb have further increased the pressure on Sunderland. They lost 3-1 at home to Coventry before suffering a 2-0 Europa League defeat on Thursday.

However, their underlying statistics suggest their league position does not fully reflect their performances.

According to FotMob, Sunderland have registered 13.2 expected goals (xG) in the Premier League but scored only five times. Their expected goals against (xGA) stands at 15.7, compared with the 17 goals they have conceded.

Their expected points tally is 12, seven more than their actual return. This places them 11th in the expected points standings rather than 20th.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have scored 19 goals from an xG of 13.3, highlighting their impressive finishing. However, their underlying numbers place them ninth, only two positions and one point above Sunderland.

There is also a recent head-to-head warning for Alonso's team, with Sunderland winning both meetings against Chelsea last season.

Defender Trai Hume has already described Sunday's encounter as their "biggest game of the season".

Although Chelsea will travel as favourites, their supporters have been warned against underestimating a Sunderland side whose performances suggest they are capable of causing problems.