Alex in for injured Ricardo Carvalho is the one change from the side that started at Hull but as promised, Didier Drogba is on the bench after a month out.

Also among the subs for the first time is Brazilian anchor midfielder Mineiro who joined in September.

Frank Lampard, looking for his 100th top-flight goal, will play alongside Deco in the middle and at the back, Petr Cech is searching for his 100th Chelsea clean sheet.

As he threatened, Roy Keane has wielded the axe. The side selected has a new forward line of Kenwyne Jones and 18-year-old Martyn Waghorn.

Former Spurs players Pascal Chimbonda and Teemu Tainio also return.

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-1-4-1 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech
17 José Bosingwa
33 Alex
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
12 John Mikel Obi
10 Joe Cole
20 Deco
8 Frank Lampard
15 Florent Malouda
39 Nicolas Anelka

Substitutes: 40 Hilario, 2 Branislav Ivanovic, 18 Wayne Bridge, 27 Mineiro, 35 Juliano Belletti, 21 Salomon Kalou, 11 Didier Drogba.

Sunderland are expected to line-up in the following 4-4-2 formation:

Fulop; Chimbonda, Ferdinand, Nosworthy, McCartney; Malbranque, Whitehead (c), Tainio, Richardson; Waghorn, Jones.

Subs: Colgan, Bardsley, Meyler, Henderson, Reid, Diouf, Cissé.

The referee is Martin Atkinson.

Click here to buy your online Matchday Programme