The December double header on Wearside concludes on Tuesday evening with a semi-final place at stake. There are two ancient heartaches to be avenged in Sunderland by Chelsea tonight. In 1985 and 1992 the Blues traveled to Wearside with hopes of a first major Wembley cup final since 1972, only to have them dashed through a mixture of adversity and incompetence.

The modern day Chelsea have not lost away in this competition for 10 years (penalty shoot-outs excluded) but Jose Mourinho has already indicated he will field a much-changed side. Publicly Sunderland consider this a great opportunity to gather a prized scalp that would boost morale in their battle to rise from the bottom of the Barclays Premier League.

Privately, Gus Poyet might feel additional games would bring a distraction from the Mackems' key priority of avoiding relegation. Older Black Cats supporters might remind him that when they beat Chelsea in 1984/85 they lost the final and, a few weeks later, their top-flight status.

Chelsea have won this competition four times but the most recent was during Mourinho's first spell: the 2-1 success over Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium in 2007. Only Liverpool (eight) and Aston Villa (five) have lifted the trophy on more occasions. In 1997/98, 2004/05 and 2006/07 it was the first instalment of double silverware for the Blues.

There will be no more Champions League midweeks from now until February. Four of the UEFA participants - Chelsea, Man City, Man United and Tottenham - can still pad out their January schedules with home and away semi-final ties in this competition and the final on 2 March. England's other Champions League representatives, Arsenal, were turfed out of the Capital One Cup by Chelsea in the last round.

There were seven former winners in yesterday's Champions League draw, but just the one from London, of course. Four Premier League teams have progressed for the sixth time and on each of the previous occasions that many did, at least one has reached the final.

Chelsea's reunion with our 2012 penalty shootout winner Didier Drogba and Galatasaray will be a special, and emotional one. Fellow group winners Man United drew Olympiacos.

In contrast, runners-up Arsenal were paired with defending champions Bayern Munich and Man City with Barcelona. Perhaps this will finally scotch the notion it makes little difference whether a side finishes first or second in their group.

Tonight the Goal Decision System already used in the Premier League will be deployed in a domestic match for the first time. The official Capital One Cup ball has been 'recalibrated' and satisfactorily tested with Hawk-Eye technology.

If the scores are level after 90 minutes, 30 minutes extra time will be played. If there is still no winner the tie will be decided on penalties.


- Match preview by chelseafc.com