Today at 2:45, Sunderland and Chelsea go head-to-head in Barclays Premier League action live from the Stadium of Light in England. The game can be live streamed here.
Gus Poyet leads Sunderland into a crucial match against Chelsea with much respect for his opponents as the Jose Mourinho-led club is coming off of a 3-1 victory over South Hampton on Sunday. Poyet was asked if he thought Chelsea had a shot at going all the way in the Barclays Premier League.
"Yes, no doubt about it," he said, according to ESPN. ''They are different, they are stronger. The reaction at the weekend at half-time was all about the mentality of the team more than even the play or the technique or the ability."
He added: ''It was mental. It was a completely different team in the second half. I am sure there was a unique half-time team-talk in the dressing room or wherever it happened. It was a complete turn-around. I know him [Mourinho] and I admire him a lot. He's a different-class person and manager. I know him in football ways and as a person and I am looking forward to seeing him before the game."
Despite winning four straight games at home, Sunderland enters opposite in the standings to Chelsea as the team is closer to the bottom of the table. Summerland knows it's in for a challenge to turn it around.
"We know they are one of the best teams in the country and that we need to be very, very good," Poyet said via ESPN. "We are going to have to compete, defend well. I don't know how many chances we are going to create because they are one of the teams which defends the best in England, so there are plenty of things we need to be good at."
Mourinho believes that Sunderland will continue to climb the ranks towards the top of the table.
''I was analyzing their match against Newcastle at home and Man City at home, these were the matches I focused on,'' Mourinho told ESPN. ''I think they are better than the points they have, the quality of their players is not comparable with some teams in that part of the table but I think they are in a moment where one point doesn't make a big difference."
Mourinho said Samuel Eto'o (groin) could be available to play today. For the Blues, David Luiz and Oscar are sidelined.
Mourinho believes that Ashley Cole will feature in one of the next two games.
Sunderland and Chelsea meet on the pitch this afternoon in England.
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