The Premier League weekend kicks off with a fascinating encounter at St James' Park as Newcastle United welcome Chelsea for Saturday's early fixture, broadcast live on TNT Sports 1 and Discovery+ at 12:30pm.
Form Guide and Table Stakes
Despite a significant gap in the league standings, only six points separate fourth-placed Chelsea from twelfth-placed Newcastle. The Magpies are looking to bounce back from a demoralising 1-0 defeat to local rivals Sunderland last weekend, a result sealed by an unfortunate Nick Woltemade own goal. That loss marked their sixth league defeat of the campaign, equalling their number of victories.
Eddie Howe's side did restore some confidence with a midweek 2-1 victory over Fulham to progress to the League Cup semi-finals. However, the performance level at the Stadium of Light has left fans demanding a significant improvement on home turf this Saturday.
Chelsea's form has been inconsistent, with just one win in their last four Premier League outings. That victory, a 2-0 success against Everton featuring goals from Cole Palmer and Malo Gusto, interrupted a run of draws against Arsenal and Bournemouth and a 3-1 loss to Leeds United.
Historical Dominance and Current Tensions
Newcastle hold a formidable recent record against Chelsea at home, boasting three consecutive Premier League wins at St James' Park against the Blues. The most recent was a 2-0 triumph in May, secured by goals from Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes after Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson saw a red card after just 36 minutes.
This fixture historically favours the home side, with the host team winning 37 of the 60 Premier League meetings between these clubs—the highest such rate in the competition's history.
Off the pitch, all is not serene at Stamford Bridge. Manager Enzo Maresca has publicly expressed feelings of a lack of support for his team, throwing a potential spanner in the works for Chelsea's preparations ahead of this tough away trip.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Newcastle's injury woes continue to mount. Dan Burn is sidelined with rib and lung injuries sustained against Sunderland, while Tino Livramento added to the list by limping off against Fulham. Lewis Hall is racing to overcome a hamstring issue. They join Sven Botman, Nick Pope, Kieran Trippier, Emil Krafth, and Will Osula on the treatment table.
Chelsea will be without Estevao due to a muscle problem, with Romeo Lavia, Liam Delap, and Levi Colwill also injured.
Newcastle predicted lineup: Ramsdale; Miley, Schar, Thiaw, Hall; Tonali, Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes; Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon.
Chelsea predicted lineup: Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Joao Pedro.
Betting Tips and Key Predictions
Given Newcastle's strong home form against Chelsea and the apparent discord within the visiting camp, backing the Magpies for a victory holds appeal at 7/4 with Bet365. Under Eddie Howe, Newcastle have been a force at St James' Park, averaging exactly two goals per game there since his appointment.
This trend supports a second prediction: Over 1.5 Newcastle goals at 6/5 with Betway. The Magpies have scored exactly two goals in each of their last five Premier League home games. While Chelsea have kept four clean sheets in their last five away matches, they have shown defensive vulnerability, conceding two or more goals on nine occasions already this season across all competitions.
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