---
title: Sunderland AFC vs Chelsea Predictions - May 24, 2026
description: Final day drama as Sunderland AFC hosts Chelsea, both vying for European football. Key injuries and form insights shape the match predictions and betting tips.
---

[Football Betting Tips & Predictions in Nigeria - betCompare ](https://betcompare.ng/football/tips)

# [Sunderland AFC vs Chelsea Predictions - May 24, 2026](https://betcompare.ng/football/tips/sunderland-afc-vs-chelsea-predictions-may-24-2026)

 Written by [betCompare Editor](https://betcompare.ng/football/tips/author/betcompare-editor) | May 22, 2026 10:24:27 AM

Premier League Matchday 38 Stadium of Light 🔥 Final Day — Europe at Stake

Sunderland AFC Home · 9th · 51 pts

vs

Chelsea Away · 8th · 52 pts

**Sunday 24 May 2026** · Kick-off: **17:00 WAT** (16:00 BST)

  🟢 Live research active — all data current as of 21 May 2026

## Match context

**Final day. Both clubs are fighting for European football.** Sunderland (51 pts, 9th) must beat Chelsea and need results elsewhere — Brentford to drop points at Liverpool and/or Brighton to lose to Manchester United. Chelsea (52 pts, 8th) guarantee European football with a win regardless of other results.

This is Sunderland's first season back in the Premier League after winning the Championship play-off final against Sheffield United in May 2025. A European place would be a historic achievement for the club. Chelsea are managed by interim head coach **Calum McFarlane** after Enzo Maresca's January departure, with **Xabi Alonso** confirmed as manager from next season.

Despite Chelsea's poor recent league run — seven PL games without a win before beating Spurs 2-1 on 19 May — they carry significant quality advantage and equally strong motivation. **No rotation risk for either side.** This is the final match of the season for both clubs.

## Team news

Sunderland AFC

Out **Granit Xhaka** — Injury (confirmed)

Out **Bertrand Traoré** — Injury

Out **Omar Alderete** — Injury

Out **Dennis Cirkin, Romaine Mundle, Dan Ballard** — Injury

Chelsea

Out **Mykhaylo Mudryk** — Suspended (doping)

Out **Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Romeo Lavia** — Injury

Out **Dario Essugo, Jamie Gittens, Filip Jørgensen** — Injury

Doubt **Joao Pedro** — Thigh knock, missed last match

⚠️ **Xhaka absence is the key signal.** He recorded 6 assists and 34+ appearances as Sunderland's midfield anchor this season. Without him, their ability to create, press, and control possession is materially weakened — directly reducing their expected goals contribution in this match.

## Referee intelligence

Referee ⚠️ TBC MW38 not yet announced

Classification Medium Fallback applied

Cards confidence Low Pending appointment

Implication  Bookings tips carry additional uncertainty until the referee is confirmed.

## Form & head-to-head

Sunderland — Last 5 home

D 0–0 Man Utd L 0–5 Forest W 1–0 Spurs L 0–1 Brighton L 1–3 Fulham

1W 1D 3L · Scored: 2 goals · Conceded: 10 goals · Blanked in 3 of last 5 home games. Season Under 2.5 rate: **58%** (21/36 PL matches).

Chelsea — Last 5 away

W 2–1 Spurs D 1–1 Liverpool L 0–3 Brighton L 0–3 Everton L 2–5 PSG (CL)

1W 1D 3L · PL away scored: 3 in 4 games · Blanked at Brighton and Everton. Spurs win most recent PL away result.

H2H — Stadium of Light (venue-matched, primary dataset)

| Date | Home | Score | Away | BTTS | Goals |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dec 2016 | Sunderland | **0–1** | Chelsea | No | 1 |
| May 2016 | Sunderland | **3–2** | Chelsea | Yes | 5 |
| Nov 2014 | Sunderland | **0–0** | Chelsea | No | 0 |
| Dec 2013 (EFL) | Sunderland | **2–1** | Chelsea | Yes | 3 |
| Dec 2013 (PL) | Sunderland | **3–4** | Chelsea | Yes | 7 |

Result: **Sunderland 2W / Chelsea 2W / 1D** BTTS at SoL: **3 Yes / 2 No (60% Yes)** Over 2.5: **3 of 5 (60%)** Avg goals: **3.2 / game**

These five historical meetings are all 8–12 years old. Current-season form and team news carry significantly greater weight in this analysis.

## Market probability table

| Market | Outcome | Verdict | Odds | My Assessment |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Match Result (1X2) |  |  |  |  |
| Match Result | Sunderland Win | ⚪ No Edge | 3.62 | 27% |
| Match Result | Draw | ⚪ No Edge | 3.68 | 22% |
| Match Result | Chelsea Win | 🟡 Speculative | 2.03 | 51% |
| Goals |  |  |  |  |
| Over / Under 2.5 | Over 2.5 | ⚪ No Edge | 1.76 | 49% |
| Over / Under 2.5 | Under 2.5 | 🔵 Good Bet | 2.05 | 51% |
| Over / Under 1.5 | Over 1.5 | ⚪ No Edge | 1.24 | ~77% |
| Over / Under 3.5 | Under 3.5 | ⚪ No Edge | 1.43 | ~67% |
| Both Teams to Score |  |  |  |  |
| BTTS | Yes | ⛔ Avoid | 1.68 | 41% |
| BTTS | No | 🟢 Best Bet | 2.20 | 59% |
| Corners |  |  |  |  |
| Corners O/U 9.5 | Over | ⚪ No Edge | 1.85 | 48% |
| Corners O/U 9.5 | Under | ⚪ No Edge | 1.86 | 52% |
| Bookings |  |  |  |  |
| Bookings O/U 4.5 | Over | ⚪ No Edge | 1.72 | 50% |
| Bookings O/U 4.5 | Under | 🟡 Speculative | 1.93 | 50% |
| Booking Points O/U 35.5 | Over | ⛔ Avoid | 1.33 | 65% |

My Assessment = engine probability estimate after margin stripping. Category D markets (Correct Score, Exact Goals, 1st/Last Goal, N-in-a-Row, Multiscores, EarlyGoals) are excluded — no applicable signal framework.

## Betting tips

🟢 Best Bet

⚠️ **Joao Pedro is listed as doubtful** for this match. This tip holds regardless of his availability — if he misses, it strengthens further.

🟢

Best Bet BTTS — No

Odds 2.20

Sunderland have scored only 2 goals in their last 5 home games, drawing a blank in three of those fixtures. Without Granit Xhaka — the architect of their midfield and their joint-top assister this season — that home scoring problem is likely to get worse, not better. Chelsea meanwhile have been blanked in two of their last four PL away matches (0-3 at Brighton, 0-3 at Everton) and carry significant injury and fitness uncertainty up front. At least one team failing to score is a realistic outcome, and the market at 1.68 for both teams scoring is materially overpriced relative to the evidence on the ground.

Note: Historical H2H at the Stadium of Light shows 3 Yes BTTS in 5 meetings — a 60% rate. That data stretches back to 2013–14, however, and carries minimal weight against current-season evidence.

**Confidence:** Medium–High

🔵 Good Bet

🔵

Good Bet Total Goals — Under 2.5

Odds 2.05

Sunderland's home Under 2.5 rate across their last 5 home games sits at 60% (three of five). Their season-wide Under 2.5 rate is 58% across 36 matches — one of the most reliable statistical anchors in this analysis. Chelsea's recent PL away form compounds this: three goals in four PL away games, with two blanks. Xhaka's absence removes the creative outlet Sunderland need to reliably threaten, and the 0-5 home defeat to Forest notwithstanding, the pattern across their home fixtures points clearly toward tight, low-scoring games.

Note: The historical H2H at this ground shows Over 2.5 in 3 of 5 meetings and averages 3.2 goals per game — a conflicting signal. However, all five H2H matches pre-date 2017 and involve a very different Sunderland side. Weight current data accordingly.

**Confidence:** Medium

🟡 Speculative

🟡

Speculative Match Result — Chelsea Win

Odds 2.03

Xhaka's confirmed absence hands Chelsea a clear midfield advantage — their engine room of Caicedo and Fernández will face a significantly weaker opponent in the centre of the pitch. Chelsea's 2-1 win at Spurs is the most recent result in form for either side, and their quality ceiling is higher than Sunderland's even accounting for the poor PL run. The edge here is narrow at 2.03, however, and Sunderland at home with European football on the line is a genuine threat. This is a slight lean, not a confident call.

Sunderland have won only 1 of their last 5 home games, and Chelsea have won 1 of their last 4 PL away. Both teams' recent form is poor — neither has a convincing claim to dominance.

**Confidence:** Low–Medium

⚑ Referee unconfirmed. This selection carries additional uncertainty until the appointment is announced.

🟡

Speculative Bookings — Under 4.5

Odds 1.93

Xhaka was one of Sunderland's most regularly booked players — his absence removes a card risk that would otherwise be near-certain. The bookings market carries an elevated margin of nearly 10%, meaning the price is less reliable than usual. Our model sits at 50/50 on the 4.5 line, but Xhaka's confirmed absence creates a marginal lean toward under. Use with modest stakes only.

**Confidence:** Low

⚪ No Edge — Assessed, No Tip Recommended

Fully assessed. Bookmaker pricing reflects fair value within our confidence intervals.

Draw @ 3.68 Both teams attack — draw probability reduced (~22%). Not mispriced.

Sunderland Win @ 3.62 Our 27% vs fair 26.6%. Negligible gap despite strong home motivation.

Over 2.5 @ 1.76 Both teams need goals — conflicting with home scoring data. No clean edge.

Corners O/U 9.5 (both sides) Near 50/50 after margin stripping. Insufficient signal to distinguish.

Bookings Over 4.5 @ 1.72 Mirror of Under tip. High market margin reduces precision.

⛔ Avoid — These markets are overpriced at current odds

BTTS Yes @ 1.68 Market implies 57% — our estimate is 41%. Sunderland blanked in 3 of their last 5 home games. Bookmaker has clear advantage here.

Booking Points Over 35.5 @ 1.33 Very short price with 8.5% market margin. Our assessment at 65% sits below the book's implied 69%. Poor punter value.

## Supplementary market notes

Chelsea goals away Chelsea Away Goals Under 1.5 (odds 1.89) sits at near 50/50 after stripping. If Joao Pedro is absent on match day, this market leans toward Under. Worth monitoring pre-kick-off.

Corners market context Chelsea's possession-based style generates corners against deep defensive blocks. Their Away Corners Over 3.5 is implied at ~74% by the market — reasonable given their attacking style. Sunderland's home corners Over 2.5 implied at ~76%. This puts the combined total around 8–9, making the Over 9.5 line marginal at best. The 8.5 line (Over at 1.52) carries slightly better implied value at ~52% fair probability.

## Accumulator builder notes

Recommended double **BTTS No (2.20) + Under 2.5 (2.05)** — Combined odds ≈ 4.51. Both selections draw from the same core signal: Sunderland's home scoring weakness and Xhaka's absence. Structurally consistent and reasonably independent in payout logic (BTTS No does not require Under 2.5, and vice versa).

Correlated selections warning BTTS No, Under 2.5, and Bookings Under 4.5 all draw from the same underlying signals. Pairing more than two in a single accumulator concentrates exposure rather than diversifying it. Choose one or two from this group per accumulator.

Single-selection recommendation **BTTS No at 2.20** is the strongest standalone selection. It settles in your favour if Chelsea keep a clean sheet, if Sunderland fail to score, or if either side does — meaning the result of the match itself is irrelevant to this bet. No single-selection from this match offers higher confidence.

## Conditional flags

⚑

**Joao Pedro fitness — Chelsea**  
 Pedro is doubtful with a thigh knock and missed Chelsea's last match. **If absent:** BTTS No and Under 2.5 both strengthen. **If he starts:** all tips remain at their current verdicts — Sunderland's home scoring record is the primary driver regardless.

ℹ️

**Referee appointment — Matchday 38**  
 The referee has not yet been confirmed. Bookings Under 4.5 carries Low confidence until the appointment is known. A High-classification referee would materially increase the expected card count, weakening that tip.

## Analysis confidence

Overall Medium

Live research 🟢 Active

Team news Verified

Referee Unconfirmed

H2H data 5 meetings (SoL)

Anomalies flagged 1 (bookings margin)

Confidence is Medium overall. The primary signal — Xhaka's confirmed absence combined with Sunderland's home scoring record — is live-verified and strong. The two pending uncertainties (Pedro's fitness, referee appointment) introduce measured risk across goals and bookings markets but do not materially affect the Best Bet assessment.

**Responsible betting** — This analysis is produced for informational and entertainment purposes only. All betting carries financial risk and there is no guarantee of profit from any tip or recommendation published on this platform.

Our tips represent assessed value based on available statistical data, team news, and market intelligence at the time of publication. They are not guarantees of outcome. Football is unpredictable — even the strongest value bet loses regularly.

Please bet responsibly and within your means. Only bet what you can afford to lose. Never chase losses. If you feel your betting is becoming a problem, contact the **National Responsible Gambling Programme (NRGP Nigeria)** — nrgpnigeria.org. **18+ only.**

[View full post](https://betcompare.ng/football/tips/sunderland-afc-vs-chelsea-predictions-may-24-2026)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "betCompare Editor"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2026-05-22T10:24:27.322Z",
  "datePublished" : "2026-05-22T10:24:27Z",
  "headline" : "Sunderland AFC vs Chelsea Predictions - May 24, 2026",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 386,
    "url" : "https://144020858.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/144020858/hq720-2-1.jpg",
    "width" : 686
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://betcompare.ng/football/tips/sunderland-afc-vs-chelsea-predictions-may-24-2026",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Football Betting Tips & Predictions in Nigeria - betCompare"
  }
}
```