Sunderland plan Chelsea shock

A miracle if it really happen....

SUNDERLAND, England, Jan 14 (AFP) - Mick McCarthy insists his rock-bottom Sunderland side can defeat champions Chelsea on Sunday and he doesn't care if people fall about laughing at his confidence.

The Black Cats are on course for relegation having taken just six points from 20 Premiership matches this season. They have just one win.

In stark contrast, Chelsea sit at the top of the table with 58 points and are 13 ahead of their closest challengers Manchester United.

In 21 league matches this season, they have lost just once.

But McCarthy doesn't care about the bare statistics.

"Somebody will beat Chelsea at some time," said McCarthy.

"Everyone can laugh and scoff but it might be us. It might not be but it won't be for the want of trying.

"We'll go out there and battle and hope to get a break."

Chelsea striker Carlton Cole, meanwhile, fresh from scoring the opening goal in last weekends FA Cup win over Huddersfield, is preparing for action on Sunday in a stadium with happy memories for him.

The 22 year-old striker scored the winning goal on Chelseas last visit to the Stadium of Light back in April 2003.

"That was a great day for me," Cole told the Chelsea website.

In that game, the Londoners came from 2-1 down to win.

"I had come back off loan at Wolves and I got the chance to impress (then Chelsea manager) Claudio Ranieri. I came off the bench at half-time and he said just go out there and work for the team. I was a bit selfish for the goal."

The match against Huddersfield was Coles first start since returning from two seasons away at Charlton and Aston Villa.

With Didier Drogba now away on African Nations Cup duty, Cole knows he is the main back-up to Hernan Crespo.

"It is a perfect opportunity. It is what I have been waiting for for three years now. Last week it was just nice to put on a Chelsea shirt and score again," said Cole.

"Ive learned lots of things on the training pitch. You can only learn if you are playing with world class players every day. You have got to be focussed and committed all the time because you dont know when the manager is going to call on you.

"The manager is the key to you playing so you have got to try to impress him."