Teenage striker Connor Wickham has been given a start by Paolo Di Canio, who will be taking charge of Sunderland for the first time against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
Wickham has been preferred to Danny Graham, while centre-back Matt Kilgallon is also included.
For hosting Chelsea, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres have all dropped to the bench.
Chelsea: Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Bertrand; Ramires, Mikel; Oscar, Mata, Hazard; Ba
Sunderland: Mignolet; Bardsley, Rose, O'Shea, Kilgallon; N'Diaye, Gardner, Larsson, Johnson, Sessegnon; Wickham