Newcastle United kick off the Premier League’s festive fortnight in a home clash against Chelsea.
Victory would lift Eddie Howe’s Magpies up to ninth in the table, whilst Chelsea will stay fourth for another matchweek with a win.
Team News
Tino Livramento is ruled out for Newcastle until New Year after he suffered a knee injury during their 2-1 Carabao Cup Quarter-Final victory against Fulham.
Lewis Hall missed that game with a hamstring strain but is expected to return for this match, although it is more likely to be amongst the substitutes bench than an immediate starting position.
Nick Pope (groin), Dan Burn (rib/lung), Jamaal Lascelles (muscle), Emil Krafth (knee), Sven Botman (back), William Osula (ankle) and Kieran Trippier (hamstring) remain absent.
Chelsea will again be without Estevao Willian after he missed their Carabao Cup victory at Cardiff due to a muscle injury.
Liam Delap (shoulder), Romeo Lavia (quad), Levi Colwill (ACL), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension) are still sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Newcastle host Chelsea at St James’ Park on Saturday 20 December at 12:30pm GMT, live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle have claimed 10 points in their last six Premier League meetings against Chelsea (W3, D1, L2).
- Chelsea have won two of their last six league trips to Newcastle (W2, L4)
- Newcastle won their two meetings at home to Chelsea last season by 2-0 results in all competitions (W2), as they first beat them in a Carabao Cup tie in October 2024 then won their league meeting in May 2025.
- Newcastle have claimed four points in three league games at home to London-based opposition this season (W1, D1, L1).
- Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez has kept a joint league-high eight clean sheets this season alongside Arsenal’s David Raya coming into this matchweek.
Prediction
Having produced a much sharper attacking display against Fulham than they mustered in their last league outing in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, Newcastle now need to bring more of that same quality which saw them break down a resilient second-half Fulham defence.
Chelsea meanwhile made wholesale changes to their starting line-up at Cardiff but needed their substitutes to dig them out of trouble because their attacking play at times otherwise was sloppy, and they were frankly thankful for Filip Jorgensen otherwise they could of lost that tie on another day.
Nevertheless Chelsea will again make wholesale changes which could help them with their regulars fresh and ready to hit the festive fortnight running, but St James’ Park hasn’t exactly been a happy hunting ground in recent seasons so I can see a draw if Newcastle turn up with the right attitude.
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Chelsea
Result: Newcastle 2-2 Chelsea
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