Chelsea will lock horns with Newcastle today in the English Premier League as they continue their fight to push up the table.
Placed 11th on the league standings, the Blues have failed to live up to expectations over the past year, reports AFP.
In their previous game, they were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw at Brentford and will be looking at bouncing back to winning ways to help their struggling campaign.
Newcastle, on the other hand, have been largely inconsistent this season and are placed ninth on the log. The Magpies breezed past Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 last week and come into this tie at Stamford Bridge all gun-blazing.
Chelsea vs Newcastle: Key Statistics
Chelsea have a good historical record against Newcastle United and have won 79 out of the 175 matches played between the two teams, as opposed to Newcastle United’s 56 victories.
Chelsea have lost only one of their last 28 matches at home against Newcastle United in the Premier League, with their previous such defeat coming by a 2-0 scoreline under Roberto Di Matteo in 2012.
Newcastle United won the reverse fixture at St. James’ Park by a 4-1 scoreline and could complete a league double over Chelsea for the first time since the 1986-87 season.
Chelsea will start a match against Newcastle United while being below them in the Premier League standings for only the fourth time since 1997.
Newcastle United have conceded 45 goals in the Premier League so far this season – 26 more than they had conceded at the same stage last season.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea’s season-long injury frustrations continue with Levi Colwill and Ben Chilwell newly ruled out and Conor Gallagher missing several days’ training due to a virus, though Thiago Silva and Marc Cucurella could be back available.
In midfield Cesare Casadei and Jimi Turiainen, and possibly the returning Carney Chukwuemeka, could step in, easing the heavy workload on our regular middlemen.
The Argentinean deployed an initially successful back three to match Brentford last time out but the hosts were the better side in the second half and he’s likely to revert to a back four this evening, especially with so many absentees.
Axel Disasi’s late equaliser against the Bees was our seventh headed league goal, the fourth from a set-play cross, and the fourth in as many matches scored inside the final 10 minutes.
Newcastle Team News
Matt Targett and Elliot Anderson may return to the Newcastle squad this evening but key men Joelinton, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson and captain Kieran Trippier remain sidelined. Lewis Hall is ineligible as he is on loan from Chelsea.
Another Cobham graduate, Tino Livramento, is the likely beneficiary of his skipper’s calf problem. The more attack-minded full-back came off the bench to net against Wolves last time out.
Nevertheless, Howe will be frustrated not to be able to name the same back four that contributed to a run of three wins and one loss in six games, restoring their pursuit of a European place.
Between the sticks, Martin Dubravka (70.7 per cent) has a marginally inferior saves-per-shot on target rate than the sidelined Pope (73.6).
Chelsea vs Newcastle: Kickoff time, Venue
The match is scheduled to hold at Chelsea’s home ground, Stamford Bridge and kickoff time is slated for 9pm Nigeria time.
