Reinildo to return as two changes made – Sunderland predicted XI vs Chelsea
Sunderland return to Premier League action on Saturday as they travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.
Off the back of Sunderland’s 2-0 win over Wolves, Regis Le Bris’ side face their toughest opponents yet.
Chelsea are expected to beat Sunderland, having won their last three games in all competitions under Enzo Maresca.
As Le Bris looks to secure Sunderland’s second away win of the season, he could make two changes to the starting line-up that defeated Wolves.
Reinildo set to come in, Regs Le Bris faced with Chemsdine Talbi diemma
Reinildo’s three-match suspension is finally over, with his red card against Aston Villa leaving him unavailable for the matches against Nottingham Forest, Man United, and Wolves.
Arthur Masuaku struggled when he deputised for Reinildo, forcing Le Bris to play Trai Hume at left-back and Nordi Mukiele at right-back.
The Mozambique international will be expected to return in place of Dan Ballard, with Mukiele moving to centre-back, and Hume switching to the opposite flank.
| Stat | Reinildo |
| Appearances | 5 |
| Pass accuracy | 85.3% |
| Duels won | 64.6% |
| Aerial duels won | 58.8% |
Chemsdine Talbi was impressive against Wolves, with his second-half cameo sparking calls to start him on the left wing.
Whilst Le Bris probably won’t drop Le Fee, Bertrand Traore could easily make way following his underwhelming performances.
Otherwise, Le Bris will look to keep the majority of the starting line-up the same.
Reinildo’s reintroduction into the team is a huge boost for Le Bris, and he faces a tricky test at Stamford Bridge on 25 October.
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Reinildo’s influence could make a huge difference vs Chelsea
18-year-old wonderkid Estevao is likely to start for Chelsea on the right wing, with the Brazilian talent excelling in the Premier League.
Reinildo has his work cut out for him, and Black Cats fans will be hoping he isn’t too rusty in what will be an intriguing battle.
The 31-year-old has been superb against Jarrod Bowen, Daniel Munoz, and Dango Ouattara in the early parts of the season, yet Saturday will be an entirely different matter.
If Reinildo can keep Estevao quiet, then this could send Sunderland on their way to achieving a first win at Stamford Bridge since 2014.
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