But Black Cats boss Roy Keane says he is more focused on games against the teams scrapping around at the foot of the Premiership, than he is against those challenging for the title this season.

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And when it comes to the battle at the bottom, he has a feeling that how the Wearsiders manage to do in the January transfer window will go a long way to determining their fate.

Reflecting on the 2-0 defeat, Keane said: "We looked a lot more solid than our last away game – although that wouldn't be hard – but even so, you end up just leaving empty-handed.

"It was always a tough game for us I have to say but we know that defeats at Chelsea, just like defeats at any of the top four clubs, won't make or break our season.

"Anything we get against those teams will be nothing short of a massive bonus.

"But it's the games against the teams around us which will define where we end up and that's why the Aston Villa game this week is another big one.

"So far, the season has panned out exactly the way I thought it would.

"I said the other day that there are three leagues in the Premiership: the top one, the middle one and the bottom one – and we know which one we're in at the moment."

That gap was neatly illustrated at the weekend, as Chelsea's second-choice striker, Andriy Shevchenko, swooped with an opening goal which sent Sunderland spiralling towards defeat.

The Ukrainian legend is little more than a squad player at Stamford Bridge and his qualities have been openly questioned, but he would walk into the current Sunderland team as their star man.

"I certainly wouldn't mind having him in my side," admitted Keane.

"Shevchenko is a good player whose record speaks for itself.

"When you're a top player and you're not at the level you would like to be, you're going to get criticism, but, to players like that, it's water off a duck's back.

"The Premiership is without doubt the toughest league in the world – maybe not technically but certainly physically – and people forget he's had the challenge since coming here of trying to adapt to that."

In the New Year, Keane will return to the process of trying to close the gap between his side and others in the Premiership.

He said: "I certainly plan to strengthen the side in the January transfer window because it needs doing.

"We missed out on one or two players in the summer and we have injuries to key players and suspensions as well – so there's no doubt we need new players.

"But identifying players for January is easier said than done and, once you've identified who you want, it's not necessarily easy to go out and get them.

"I've got a few players in mind and it's important we get the right characters, but I'm hopeful though that we'll get them in."

How successful the bottom half-dozen teams are in their efforts to strengthen is likely to be key to the outcome of the rest of the season.

Keane reflected: "I think the January transfer business will be important and I'm sure there will be lots of teams near the bottom spending.

"The big teams seem to spend a lot during the summer and rightly so, but the teams at the bottom find their squads really tested and stretched and maybe a lot of us will be after the same type of player.

"The fact is, though, that January is a long way away yet and we have some important games to deal with with the present squad before then.

"The players are good lads, good characters who train well and all they need to do is make sure they produce it against the teams around us.

"But I'm very confident that we have a chance of doing well by the end of the season."