Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League clash between Sunderland and Leicester City. It's too soon to be dubbing this a relegation scrap, but both teams could use the points, that's for sure. Team news is on the way...

SUNDERLAND XI: Pickford, Jones, Kone, Djilobodji, Van Aanholt, Pienaar, Ndong, Denayer, Anichebe, Defoe, Watmore

LEICESTER XI: Zieler, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez, Amartey, King, Albrighton, Slimani, Vardy

Just the one change for hosts Sunderland there, with Papy Djilobodji returning from suspension to replace John O'Shea at the back. It's also worth flagging up the inclusion of Seb Larsson and Jan Kirchhoff on the subs' bench as they continue their comebacks from injury.

Leicester have also made one change from the side that drew 2-2 with Middlesbrough in their last league outing, drafting in Islam Slimani in place of Shinji Okazak. The Algerian will line up alongside Jamie Vardy in the Foxes' attack.

© SilverHub

A quick glance at the Premier League table is enough to tell you that both of these teams are in dire need of points. Sunderland start the day rock bottom with eight on the board, while the Foxes are just five points better off in 14th.

David Moyes's side went down 2-0 at Liverpool in their last league outing as their attempts to park the bus at Anfield failed. However, they managed back-to-back wins prior to the trip to Merseyside. If they see off Leicester today, it will be only the second time in three seasons that they have won two home matches in a row.

Pulling off that feat could be an uphill struggle if their home form as a whole is anything to go off - Sunderland's record of four points from six matches and a minus five goal difference is the worst in the division.

KEY MAN: If the Black Cats do manage to get a result today, it's a fair assumption that this man's goals will have something to do with it. Jermain Defoe's record of 18 Premier League strikes in 2016 is the third highest tally behind Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane.

© Getty Images

Onto Leicester now, and the Foxes' decline on the domestic front has been well documented. Their haul of 13 points from as many matches is the worst start to an English top-flight title defence since Ipswich Town's 1962-63 campaign. A defeat here today would really set alarm bells ringing.

Claudio Ranieri's side have lost six of their 14 league fixtures - to put that into context, their previous six losses came during the course of 51 matches! They don't travel well, either, holding the worse away record in the Premier League and failing to take the lead in any match on their travels.

Many of the Foxes key players have been off the boil this season, at least on the domestic front. Jamie Vardy hasn't had much reason to party lately, going 15 games without a goal in all competitions.

© Getty Images

Riyad Mahrez has also been through a dry spell by his lofty standards, going nine league games without a goal or an assist. However, he has managed to score twice and set one up in the last two games - can he keep the momentum going today?

Some pre-match quotes from both managers coming up...

MOYES: "They have done a great job in the Champions League, but when you are playing Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday and the quality of the games you are having to play in midweek and the level you're having to get to, it makes it very difficult. But Leicester have qualified now, so they have done that bit and they will probably now try to turn their attention to climbing the table - hopefully not this week."

RANIERI: "We are in a different situation to the last time we were here. We're two points from the bottom three so we must understand the moment. We must be solid."

PREDICTION: There's less than 10 minutes to go until kickoff, so now seems like a good time to offer a score prediction. I'm going with a 1-1 draw as Sunderland's front pairing of Victor Anichebe and Jermain Defoe will cause Leicester a few problems, but the Foxes still have enough quality to take a point from what should be a hard-fought encounter.

The players are out there on the pitch now and kickoff is just moments away. Stay tuned for minute-by-minute updates from the Stadium of Light.

A minute's silence is taking place to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragic plane crash in Colombia earlier this week.

KICK OFF! The match is underway and the Stadium of Light is in fine voice. Sunderland are kicking from left to right in the first half.

There's a half-chance for Sunderland right from the off as Albrighton's poor clearance falls kindly for Watmore to strike inside the area, but his effort is straight at Zieler in the Leicester goal. The crowd respond to their team's attacking intend with fervour.

CHANCE! Sunderland show more ambitions in the final third as Patrick van Aanholt finds space on the left flank and crosses into the box for Victor Anichebe to strike, but the former Everton man's shot is deflected over.

It's a been a bright start from Sunderland, who have taken the game by the throat. They look dangerous along that left flank through Van Aanholt and Defoe and Anichebe's combined physicality is putting the Foxes defence under pressure.

The Black Cats are still asking all of the questions here and the crowd are thriving on it. Van Aanholt cuts inside again and shapes to shoot, but Wes Morgan peddles back, makes the interception and clears his lines.

Leicester have spent much of the early stages on the ropes, but they almost hit Sunderland on the break there as Albrighton picked out Mahrez and the Algerian attempted to play an early pass to Vardy inside the box, only for Kone to slide in with a vital interception.

Victor Anichebe has made a positive start to the afternoon, using his strength to terrorise the Leicester defence, but he's been unable to force a breakthrough so far.

📷| @VictorAnichebe with another great ball into the box - and another! The big front man could have had two already! pic.twitter.com/fjDw78OsvV — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 3, 2016

There's a scramble in the Leicester penalty area as Anichebe and Watmore both have shots at goal, with Huth and Amartey combining to shut them out. Sunderland continue to look dangerous and the more likely to draw first blood at the Stadium of Light.

There's a nervy moment for Sunderland as the usually-reliable Pickford fumbles a cross under pressure from Vardy, but the Black Cats quickly return to the front foot as Anichebe crosses low for Defoe. The latter timed his run well but failed to make a clean connection to the cross from eight yards out.

Leicester apply some pressure of their own, winning a corner as Mahrez's shot is deflected behind. Albrighton takes the corner and picks out Vardy, whose glancing header drops wide of the post.

Half-chances go begging at both ends as Watmore fires over and Leicester break from the resulting goalkick. Fuchs whips a cross into the centre of the box and Vardy nods wide from inside the six-yard box. The England man is still getting into the right positions, but is lacking the clinical edge he had last season.

Here's an action shot of Watmore driving the ball towards goal during a spell of intense early pressure from Sunderland. Play has been more balance since the Foxes weathered the storm.

📷| #SAFC + Watmore = 🔥

The hosts really deserve a goal after all of their endeavour in the opening quarter pic.twitter.com/NWETfk2rgd — Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) December 3, 2016

Sunderland have looked impressive during the opening half hour and are unlucky to have nothing to show for it. That said, Leicester are growing into the match and have started to threaten. Mahrez is looking dangerous and Vardy is getting closer with every chance that comes his way.

PICTURED: Riyad Mahrez looks to curl a shot around the onrushing Sunderland defenders. #SunLei pic.twitter.com/2LixVnsQt0 — Leicester City (@LCFC) December 3, 2016

Alrighton runs at the Sunderland defence and decides to go it alone. He lets fly and the shot cannons off Djilobodji, allowing Pickford to race off his line and claim the deflection. It's still goalless but we've had plenty of action in the first third - will we see a breakthrough before half time?

After a positive start, the Sunderland's tempo has dropped off somewhat and Leicester are enjoying a decent spell of possession. The Foxes are holding their own along that left channel now, closing down Van Aanholt more effectively.

Leicester power forward through Slimani, who surges towards the touchline, but the move breaks down as the flag goes up for a foul.

We were originally in for just one minute of stoppage time, but a knock to Steven Pienaar has increased that. There was a clash of heads between him and Alrighton and the South African is being assessed on the touchline.

The half-time whistle goes with the scores tied at 0-0 but Leicester almost took the lead right on the stroke of the interval there! A cross from Fuchs sailed over the penalty area and caught Pickford off guard, ricocheting off the crossbar. The ball is eventually hacked behind for a corner, but the referee signals an end to the first half before it can be taken.

This is an incredibly difficult match to call at the break. Sunderland started superbly, with Anichebe and Defoe linking up well up front and Van Aanholt looking creative on that left flank. However, Leicester have grown into the match and might have hit their opponents on the break with more clinical finishing.

Here's the other half-time scores for today's Premier League fixtures:

Crystal Palace 2-0 Southampton
Stoke 2-0 Burnley
Spurs 2-0 Swansea
West Brom 2-0 Watford

Meanwhile, Chelsea won 3-1 at Manchester City in the early kick off to top the Premier League table. Find out how that one unfolded with our match report here.

KICK OFF: We're back underway and Sunderland have made two changes at the break, throwing on Seb Larsson and Jan Kirchhoff for Denayer and Pienaar.

It's Leicester on the front foot now as Simpson wins a throw in a dangerous position. Kirchhoff makes his first contribution when play resumes by making an important interception to snuff out the Foxes attack.

Leicester win two corners in quick succession as they look to up the tempo. The second corner is swung in by Fuchs, whose cross is headed clear by the ever-reliable Kone, a man who was strongly linked with a move to Moyes's former club Everton over the summer.

SHOT! Shots on target have been a rarity in this game, but Leicester have just had one. Unfortunately for them, King's effort was straight at Pickford. Moyes won't be pleased with Sunderland's marking there as Ndong should never have allowed King to get a shot away.

CHANCE! It's Sunderland's turn to threaten as Watmore does well to make it to the byline an swing a cross into the centre of the box. Anichebe is there to meet it with a header, but Watmore's delivery was too high, meaning the Nigerian can only nod it over the crossbar.

Jones goes in on Slimani with a high boot and takes him out. The Sunderland man should have been shown at least a yellow there - His studs when straight into Slimani's side! The Black Cats go onto the attack after play resumes and almost force an opening, but Defoe is beaten to a through-ball by Zieler.

Sunderland take the lead straight from a corner as Kirchhoff meets the cross with a powerful header and the ball takes a wicked deflection off Huth on its way into the net. The substitute will claim that one, but it has to go down as a Huth own goal.

PENALTY CLAIM! The Black Cats push for a second as soon as play restarts and feel they should have had a penalty as Simpson takes out Van Aanholt in the box! That looked like a stonewall penalty to me. The home fans are right to be incensed!

Leicester have made a change, throwing on Slimani for Okazaki in a like-for-like switch up front. Ranieri looks like he might be making another substitution in a moment, as Gray is warming up on the touchline.

Confirmation of that Leicester change, and it's actually a double switch with Gray and Musa replacing Albrighton and Mahrez. Ranieri is going all-out attack here in an attempt to salvage something from the match.

Sunderland have three points firmly in their sights now as Jermain Defoe fires them further in front. Watmore's initial strike was blocked and deflected into the path of the prolific veteran inside the box, and he simply doesn't miss from that range, calming placing his strike into the bottom corner.

It's a thrilling end to the match as Leicester no longer look dead and buried thanks to a clever strike from Shinji Okazaki. Gray got the better of Jones and played a low pass into the six-yard box where the Japan international was on hand to slide home and make it 2-1. The Foxes still have work to do, but we could be in for a grandstand finish!

Fuchs ends Watmore's afternoon with a crunching tackle, nasty but entirely unintentional. Manquillo comes on for his injured teammate as Moyes's men attempt to see this one out.

Anichebe tries his luck from outside the box but Zieler is equal to the former Everton man's effort. Sunderland have just two minutes plus stoppage time to hold on for the win that will move them off the bottom of the table.

There will be six nervy minutes off stoppage time for Sunderland to endure, mostly due to that injury to Watmore.

Leicester are attempting to push forward and have won a corner right at the death...

SAVE! Superb stop from Pickford that might well have ensured all three points for Sunderland! Leicester had everyone in the box there, including Zieler, and there's a last-ditch scramble inside the box. The pressure comes to a head when Morgan lets fly, but Pickford was on hand to produced an instinctive block and keep the Foxes out!

So there you have it, Sunderland have held on for what could be a hugely important victory - their third in the last four matches. Three points moves them off the bottom of the table but they're still in the drop zone for the time being.

As for Leicester, it's more woes on the road for them and their latest reverse sees them move down one place to 15th, just two points clear of the relegation positions. It hasn't been a happy title defence for them so far!

And that's all we have time for at the Stadium of Light, but be sure to stick with Sports Mole for our ongoing coverage of the weekend's football action, including all of the fallout from the biggest matches. Thanks for joining us!