Good afternoon folks, and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of today's Premier League match between Leicester City and Sunderland!

After what seems like an eternity, English football is back in business! And both these teams today will be eager to put last season's troubles behind them and get off to a positive start in the Premier League.

Team news filtering through...

LEICESTER STARTING XI: Schmeichel, De Laet, Huth, Morgan, Schlupp, Albrighton, Drinkwater, King, Mahrez, Okazaki, Vardy

SUNDERLAND STARTING XI: Pantilimon, Jones, Van Aanholt, Kaboul, Coates, Cattermole, Rodwell, Larsson, Johnson, Lens, Defoe

LEICESTER SUBS: Schwarzer, Hammond, Kante, Kramaric, Ulloa, Fuchs, Benalouane

SUNDERLAND SUBS: Mannone, O'Shea, Matthews, Bridcutt, Giaccherini, Graham, Fletcher

So those are the teams. No real surprises for Leicester, who have lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, though coach Mike Stowell claims it can switch to 3-5-2 if needed. Quite a versatile lineup, with Shinji Okazaki the only new signing to make the starting XI.

Meanwhile the visitors see Younes Kaboul and Jeremain Lens in their starting XI, with Lee Cattermole taking the captain's armband. Yann M'Vila doesn't make it in the squad, while Jordi Gomez has failed to shake off a knee injury.

Leicester were virtually dead and buried as last season was coming to a close, but by winning seven of their last nine league games, they stayed up against all odds, so their fans will be absolutely elated to see them line up this afternoon still in the top flight. It's a completely packed house at the King Power.

Since then there have been some changes at the club, not least Nigel Pearson being given his marching orders. Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri is now at the helm, and ahead of today's game he said: "I'm really excited to begin. I found a good group here with good characters. We are ready."

© Getty Images

Sunderland, on the other hand, have stuck with the manager that helped them avoid the drop last season. Dick Advocaat will be hoping that the Black Cats get off to a better start than last time round, when they won just one of their opening nine games.

Last season's top scorer Connor Wickham has left the Stadium of Light for Crystal Palace, but France international Yann M'Vila has joined on a season-long loan and Jeremain Lens has signed from Dynamo Kiev to link up with his former manager again (they worked together at PSV Eindhoven and AZ).

Dick Advocaat is confident that one of his new signings in particular will come good and propel the Black Cats higher up the league than last time out. He said: "We had a problem last season making goals and also creating chances, so something was wrong in both midfield and up front and that's why we bought Jeremain Lens. If we can play attacking football then we have the players who can do that."

Now for some stats regarding both teams. Starting with Leicester, they were seven points from safety with nine games remaining last season but with their frankly incredible run of seven wins from those matches, they survived.

To put into perspective how amazing their Great Escape was, the 22 points they won from the start of April was the most by any club in the Premier League during the same period.

Furthermore, the Foxes endured a 13-match winless run in the first half of the season and were bottom of the table for 140 consecutive days from November to April. No side has spent as long at the foot of the table without being relegated.

Leicester only have one win from nine opening day Premier League fixtures, while Sunderland are winless in five top-flight openers. Now, this might make you deduce "goalless draw"...

...and, in all fairness, recent history is on your side. Both fixtures between these sides last season ended scoreless.

History slightly favours Sunderland in terms of head-to-head, as they're unbeaten in seven meetings and have kept clean sheets in each of their last three visits to Leicester. The last time the Foxes grabbed all three points was back in November 2001, when Ade Akinbiyi scored the game's only goal.

PREDICTION: Time for me to have a stab at what the score will be. Given all the stats and history, and bearing in mind the element of unpredictability that's part and parcel of football, I'm going to go for... (drum roll)

...a 1-1 draw.

I reckon that Leicester will get off to a flyer, given the massive support they've got behind them at home and the feelgood factor following last season's heroics, but Lens will star for the visitors and could very well open his account today.

Well folks, just five minutes until kickoff. Don't go anywhere, because Sports Mole is on hand to bring you all the updates from this game as they come. FOOTBALL IS BACK!

It's Sunderland's ninth consecutive season in the top flight. I remember very well, about a decade ago, when the Black Cats were twice relegated with record low points tallies (since overtaken by, if I remember correctly, Derby County in 2007-08) so it's great to see them having got their act together and becoming a bona fide settled top flight side.

The players are out on the KP pitch and kickoff is imminent! I'll say it once again, I'm so excited that Premier League football is back in business! Here we go folks...!

KICKOFF: Leicester get proceedings underway!

Vardy puts Van Aanholt under pressure in the corner straight away as the Foxes look to pick up where they left off last term.

It's all been Leicester in the first three or so minutes, dominating possession, forcing Sunderland on to the back foot and into the final third of their own half. The visitors have yet to venture past the halfway line.

CHANCE! Van Aanholt gets forward well down the left and links up with Lens. The ball is then whipped into the box from the right, where Defoe lets rip with a shot but Schmeichel saves well at close range!

CHANCE! Sunderland are threatening again but Schmeichel is on the ball (pardon the pun) as Kaboul heads at goal from the corner, but the Dane keeps out the effort and then saves again as Rodwell heads the rebound goalwards from 10 yards out!

Leicester attempt a training ground routine, with a short free-kick instead of putting into the box from out wide, but Mahrez's low shot is easily blocked by a defender. Worth a try eh?

Well well well! Leicester are indeed off to a flyer! Following their earlier free kick which came to nothing, the hosts were given another chance from a set piece in a good position, and this time they make no mistake!

The dead ball is whipped in from the left by Albrighton, Vardy heads it on at the near post, it loops over everyone else and goes in off the back post! What does the fox say? ONE NIL!

CHANCE! And it could have been two for the hosts just there! Vardy gets away down the left and crosses to the near post, where Okazaki has a shot blocked - the ball then falls out to the six-yard box where Mahrez's shot is deflected just wide.

BOOKING: Rodwell picks up a yellow for a lunging tackle as Leicester have another free kick in a wide area.

Wow! What an explosive start by Leicester, and Albrighton is once again involved! His cross is met by Mahrez, who rises above Sunderland's defence and thumps a header past Costel Pantilimon at the near post to double the hosts' lead!

It's all been happening in the last few minutes. Moments before Mahrez had doubled Leicester's advantage, King missed a glorious opportunity to score with a simple tap-in following Vardy's cross. Sunderland are in disarray.

CHANCE! It falls to Sunderland this time, but it's not the best, it has to be said. Johnson goes for goal from around 25 yards but he drags his shot well wide.

PENALTY! My oh my, Sunderland are collapsing like a poorly built Jenga tower here! Cattermole goes diving in on Mahrez in the box and brings him down, prompting the referee to award Leicester a penalty. The Algeria international to take...

Well, good job I didn't place a bet on this result based on my scoreline prediction... Leicester are running absolutely rampant here! Mahrez keeps his cool from the spot and slots into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 to the hosts. A very well struck low effort, the home fans can't believe what they're witnessing, and Advocaat and his charges are shellshocked!

CHANCE! No prizes for guessing for which side... Vardy, in acres of space, closes down on Pantilimon, but only some top-notch reflexes deny the former Fleetwood man.

CHANCE! Yep, Leicester again... great play from Mahrez on the right as he turns Van Aanholt inside out and lashes a cross into the box that Schlupp heads over the bar.

SUBSTITUTION: An early change for Sunderland and it's Cattermole, the captain, who is taken off and replaced by Fletcher... doesn't seem to be injury-related, most likely tactical?

"We are top of the league, we are top of the league!" Leicester fans loving what they're seeing as their team continues to dominate proceedings here at the KP.

In light of their early substitution, Sunderland have reverted to a 4-4-2 formation with Fletcher and Defoe up front. Just under an hour to try and claw back three goals away from home. Stranger things have happened in football I guess...

A bit of a lull now, following a prolonged spell of madness. The game has just quietened down a bit in the last few minutes, even though the home fans continue to be in dreamland.

Sunderland have a corner, but Leicester defend well and immediately counter upfield. Vardy tries to release Schlupp but there isn't enough weight on the striker's through-ball.

CHANCE! And it's that man Mahrez again, tearing the opposition apart as if they were Antipodean cricketers (sorry Aussie fans, but it was a bit of a thrashing at Trent Bridge)... Vardy leaves Coates trailing and tees up the Algerian for a tricky volley that goes just over! Mahrez could be the new 007 because he's being given licence to kill time and time again this afternoon!

BOOKING: That right flank is proving Sunderland's main weakness today, and a frustrated Billy Jones goes high in the tackle against Albrighton to earn him a yellow card.

Albrighton was down for a bit but is fine to continue as De Laet curls in a cross from the right that Pantilimon comes out to claim.

There will be a minimum of three added minutes here at the KP. Sunderland must be looking forward to it, Leicester probably don't want the half to end.

CHANCE! Still time for Leicester to try and nab a fourth before their half-time oranges as debutant Okazaki backheels for Drinkwater, who drills in a low shot from 25 yards that Pantilimon skilfully palms away.

CHANCE! Another chance for Leicester, and another chance for Albrighton to deliver with a free kick from the left, but it's headed away at the near post.

The East Midlands is the place to be for sporting massacres this week by the looks of things. After the England team tore Australia apart at Trent Bridge on Thursday and claimed the Ashes urn today, just a couple of miles south it's Leicester that are administering a thrashing of their own, with Sunderland the team on the receiving end.

Leicester dominated from the off and opened the scoring on 11 minutes through Jamie Vardy, whose looping header dumbfounded the opposition as it dropped into their net. Then Riyad Mahrez with two goals in the space of six minutes, on 18 and 24, courtesy of another header and a coolly struck penalty.

It could have easily been five or six for the hosts, to be fair. That right flank was exposed time and time again, and Leicester took advantage of it more often than the sober friend at the bar who's got the car with him and is asked time and time again for lifts off his slightly inebriated mates (not speaking from experience here, not at all), and Advocaat's tactical switch just after the half-hour mark has not really paid off. Some major regrouping needed from the Wearside lads.

In the interests of fairness, however, I don't want to demoralise the Sunderland fans too much here, so here's a little stat for yous to give you a bit of hope...

3 - Leicester last scored three PL goals before half-time in October 2003 v Wolves. They lost the game 4-3. Warning. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 8, 2015

Here are the other results and half-time updates so far from today's Premier League action:

Man Utd 1-0 Spurs (FT)
Bournemouth 0-0 Aston Villa (HT)
Everton 0-1 Watford (HT)
Norwich 0-1 Crystal Palace (HT)

KICKOFF: Back under way here at the KP. Will it be a formality for Leicester, or can Sunderland come back and get something from this game? Stay with Sports Mole and all will be revealed!

A sort of half-decent start from the visitors as Johnson finds Defoe, but the England striker is forced wide and his would-be pass to Fletcher is snuffed out.

BOOKING: And it falls to Leicester this time who haven't made the best start, as Vardy's challenge on Lens is pretty clumsy and the Foxes man is duly booked.

Sunderland's subsequent free kick is whipped into the box and almost falls for one of their players but De Laet just about manages to get it away.

CHANCE! Could it be a case of normal service resumed? A dynamic piece of play sees Leicester nearly grab their fourth as Vardy races away down the left, past Coates and into the box, where he decides to go for it alone and instead attempts to chip it over Pantilimon. The ball goes across goal and past the far post, letting Sunderland off the hook.

A half-chance for the visitors as a cross intended for Fletcher is knocked away by Schlupp at the last.

SUBSTITUTION: Sunderland make their second switch of the afternoon as Jones is replaced by Adam Matthews, who joined from Celtic this summer.

It's looking increasingly likely that the goal and half-time celebrations will be similar to this come the final whistle, unless Sunderland are able to produce some magic to turn this around.

© Getty Images

OFF THE POST! Grimaces and screams from both sets of fans as Mahrez - that man AGAIN! - turns the defence inside out and lets rip with a stunning curling shot that smashes off the upright!

CHANCES! The final third of the Sunderland pitch is nothing short of Armageddon as a succession of gilt-edged chances have tested Pantilimon to the limit. Following the woodwork effort, Mahrez is once again given the chance from Drinkwater's pass, but it's well saved at close range. Moments later Morgan's header is deflected wide for a corner, and from the set piece, Vardy meets the ball with a scissor kick - yes, we're getting into acrobatic territory now - but once again this is palmed away for another corner, that King just fails to convert following good work from Okazaki and Morgan.

And suddenly out of nowhere it's game on - kind of - as Johnson, standing on the edge of the Foxes penalty area, finds Defoe, who beats the offside trap to coolly finish low to his right. Fair play to Sunderland for not only surviving the previous siege, but to counter in such efficient fashion!

CHANCE! And Leicester have come at their opponents almost as if it was an affront for them to score! Mahrez's run takes the defender away and Vardy fires from 25 yards... just over the bar!

CHANCE! Schmeichel quickly drops to his feet to prevent Defoe from placing a shot inside his near post - the Black Cats feel there's still life in this!

PENALTY APPEAL! Big call for a foul from the visiting fans as Fletcher knocks the ball past Morgan and then appears to have his path blocked off by the defender - he possibly had his arm around him. The referee, however, waves away the appeals!

That's got to be game over surely, and spare a thought for the Sunderland fans who pulled a goal back and could well have had a penalty... but now they're three goals down again as Kaboul's misplaced pass falls to Schlupp, whose dragged shot ends up at the feet of Albrighton, and he makes no mistake from close range, slotting into the bottom corner for his side's fourth.

Pantilimon races out of his box to deal with a routine ball, and thousands of Leicester fans claim that he handled it. The referee does nothing, content that it was chested down.

If this isn't an enthralling advert for the Premier League, then what is? What a barnstorming game, six goals in just over 70 minutes and still time for more. A ball over the top is met by Lens, who lifts it over Schmeichel and into the six-yard box, where Fletcher rises above a defender to head home. The Black Cats supporters chant: "We're going to win 5-4!"

CHANCE! Leicester, eager to restore their three-goal cushion, come straight out of the (re)starting blocks as Albrighton curls a shot over from 18 yards after more deft footwork from Mahrez.

BOOKING: Vardy looks to get away from Kaboul and is clumsily brought down by the Sunderland defender, earning him a yellow.

SUBSTITUTIONS: Two debutants come on for the hosts as Yohan Benalouane and Christian Fuchs replace Ritchie De Laet and the unplayable Riyad Mahrez.

Fuchs goes into the left-back position as King gets into the box and pokes a shot across the face of goal and wide.

Rodwell, already booked and living on the edge, clatters into Okazaki, but referee Lee Mason doesn't even deem a foul to have been committed.

SUBSTITUTION: The final change for Leicester this afternoon as N'Golo Kante comes in for another great performer this afternoon, Jamie Vardy.

A clattering foul from Coates on Schlupp on the left side of the box earns the Sunderland defender a yellow card, but the subsequent Albrighton delivery is straight to Pantilimon.

CHANCE! Nearly a debut goal for Okazaki, who collects Kante's ball and lets rip from the left, but a timely block denies him a near-certain strike!

There will be an additional five minutes of stoppage time as Schlupp is shown a yellow for time-wasting.

So matchday one is out of the way and Leicester will be laughing as they take all three points after a hugely entertaining encounter against Sunderland, which finishes 4-2 to the Foxes.

Put simply, a sterling performance from the Foxes, fully deserving of victory. The visitors improved in the second half but it was too little too late after they ripped to shreds the opening 45 minutes. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez shared three goals between them before half time, and despite Jermain Defoe and Steven Fletcher's replies, Marc Albrighton's 66th-minute strike ensured a good cushion for the hosts.

And as it stands the Foxes are TOP OF THE LEAGUE! Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Manchester United the other winners so far as the 2015-16 season gets underway. Check out the table here.

Well that's all we have time for here on this live commentary, but don't go anywhere, because Sports Mole is on hand to bring you match analysis and player ratings from the King Power, as well as match reports and news from this and all other games in the Premier League and Football League today. Thanks for following and enjoy the rest of your weekend!