JERMAIN DEFOE is a notable absentee as Sunderland bow out of the Premier League with a visit to Chelsea.

While the hosts will be in full-blown celebration mode as they prepare to receive the Premier League trophy, Sunderland's players will be hoping to avoid a final embarrassment as they prepare to head to the Championship.

Defoe will not be involved as he has a hamstring injury, which means he has already made his final appearance in a Sunderland shirt.

The England international will watch the match at Stamford Bridge from the sidelines, and will leave the Stadium of Light this summer because of a relegation clause in his contract.

In his absence this afternoon, Fabio Borini will start as a lone striker, with Seb Larsson and Adnan Januzaj set to fill the wide positions.

With Lamine Kone, Jason Denayer and Papy Djilobodji all unavailable because of injury, Joleon Lescott will make his first Sunderland start, having been signed as a free agent in January.

Lescott is set to line up in a five-man defence that will also feature Billy Jones, John O'Shea, Javier Manquillo and Bryan Oviedo.

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Terry; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Costa, Hazard.

Subs: Begovic (gk), Zouma, Cahill, Chalobah, Matic, Pedro, Batshuayi.

SUNDERLAND (5-4-1): Pickford; Jones, Lescott, O'Shea, Manquillo, Oviedo; Larsson, Cattermole, Rodwell, Januzaj; Borini.

Subs: Mannone (gk), Love, Gibson, Embleton, Gooch, Maja, Asoro.