Chelsea face a tricky encounter against in-form Newcastle United as both teams chase European qualification and survival respectively.
Victory would see Chelsea further consolidate their third-place position in the table, whereas Newcastle could climb to 11th until at least Sunday evening with a win.
Team News
Marcos Alonso is set to return for Chelsea after recovering from Coronavirus.
Cesar Azpilicueta (cramp) and Christian Pulisic (illness) are doubts but Reece James (muscle), Ben Chilwell (knee) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (Achilles) remain absent.
Newcastle could be without Emil Krafth after he was substituted in Thursday’s win at Southampton with cramp.
Fabian Schar, Joelinton (both groin), Bruno Guimaraes (cramp) and Allan Saint-Maximin (illness) are doubts
Federico Fernandez (muscle) won’t be risked but Kieran Trippier (foot), Jamal Lewis (groin), Isaac Hayden (knee) and Callum Wilson (calf) remain absent.
Stat Attack
- Chelsea have won six of their last seven meetings against Newcastle (W6, L1).
- Newcastle are winless in their last eight league visits to Stamford Bridge (L8).
- Chelsea have scored seven goals in their last three meetings against Newcastle without conceding.
- Thomas Tuchel’s Blues has scored 15 goals in six home matches across all competitions in 2022, averaging out at 2.5 goals per home game.
- Newcastle have dropped just two points in four away matches in 2022 (W3, D1).
Prediction
Despite off-pitch issues concerning the club’s future, Chelsea didn’t seem overly distracted because they were again absolutely dominant against Norwich on Thursday evening, even if the Canaries did cause some issues at times for their defence but their attack seem in top form.
Newcastle meanwhile don’t have a strong record at Stamford Bridge which might well play to their advantage as underdogs, especially off the back of their nine-match unbeaten run and a physically scrappy encounter at Southampton where they were marginally more clinical.
This game though feels like Chelsea’s to lose given their current goalscoring form at home but if Newcastle are clinical yet defensively disciplined, I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a tighter battle than many might think because Eddie Howe’s Magpies are on a fierce roll at present.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle
Result: Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle
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