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Preview: Chelsea vs Newcastle United – stats, team news, line-ups

Preview: Chelsea vs Newcastle United - stats, team news, line-ups

Chelsea and Newcastle United will lock horns at Stamford Bridge for Sunday’s high-profile Premier League clash, with both sides looking to get back to winning ways and make amends for previous defeats.

Enzo Maresca’s troops responded to their agonising 2-1 defeat against Liverpool by claiming an emphatic 4-1 victory over Panathinaikos in the Europa Conference League.

Meanwhile, Newcastle found themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline when they faced Brighton & Hove Albion at St. James’ Park, culminating in their second league defeat this season.

The Blues have been in resurgent form under Maresca’s leadership, so Chelsea tickets will be in high demand ahead of this weekend’s exciting contest. But they’ll be available on Seatsnet.com at affordable prices.

Match preview

Chelsea tested Liverpool’s title resolve at Anfield but ultimately fell short, as Mohamed Salah’s penalty and a Curtis Jones goal proved decisive in a narrow 2-1 defeat.

Determined to upset Liverpool’s charge for the top, Chelsea managed to level the score after Nicolas Jackson’s well-timed run kept him onside to cancel out Salah’s first-half spot-kick.

However, the Blues’ celebration was short-lived. Just three minutes later, Salah set up Curtis Jones, who slipped through Chelsea’s defence to restore Liverpool’s lead – a blow that Chelsea couldn’t recover from.

This marked Chelsea’s first league defeat since their opening weekend stumble against Manchester City, and they now sit sixth in the table.

Seeking a response from his side, Maresca shuffled his pack for Thursday’s Europa Conference League trip to Greece, where Chelsea got back to winning ways.

Joao Felix starred with a brace in their convincing win over Panathinaikos, who played amid the sombre news of George Baldock’s passing.

The victory offered Chelsea a welcome lift in morale and kept their European ambitions on track.

However, domestic matters are now Chelsea’s immediate focus as they eye a potential rise into the Premier League’s top four this weekend, should other results favour them.

Chelsea will have to be wary of their defensive performance, as Maresca’s side has now gone five consecutive games without a clean sheet across all competitions.

Thursday’s match was no exception, with former Manchester United ace Facundo Pellistri managing a late consolation goal for Panathinaikos.

Despite their defensive lapses, Chelsea’s attack has been relentless, scoring in 12 straight matches and finding the net 17 times in their last six games on home turf.

While Chelsea’s attacking prowess has received plenty of plaudits, while Newcastle’s October has told a far different story, marked by a lack of firepower and toothlessness in the final third.

Following a frustrating draw against Everton before the international break, Eddie Howe’s side found themselves similarly hampered against Brighton as they were unable to convert their chances.

In a clash defined by missed chances, the Magpies failed to break down Fabian Hurzeler’s defence, with their own wastefulness and Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen standing in their way.

Danny Welbeck needed just a single opportunity to make the difference, sliding home the winning goal for Brighton in clinical fashion.

Newcastle’s fans, who expected so much from their side this season, were left frustrated once again.

Despite lofty ambitions and high hopes that followed the club’s takeover back in 2021, their recent form has cast doubts on their readiness to become the next dominant force in English football.

The Magpies are now winless in their last four Premier League outings, dropping to ninth place in the standings and struggling to recapture the momentum they showed earlier in the season.

Over the past 270 minutes of Premier League action, Newcastle has only managed to score once – a lone goal that came in their narrow League Cup victory over AFC Wimbledon.

Key stats

Newcastle face a formidable challenge this Sunday as they head to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea, a venue that hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the Magpies over the years.

With just one Premier League win from 29 attempts at Chelsea’s home ground, Newcastle fans are all too familiar with the difficulties their team faces on this turf.

This game couldn’t have come at a worse time for Newcastle either.

The Magpies began the season unbeaten in four games (W3, D1), but they’ve hit a rough patch, going winless in their last four Premier League games (D2, L2).

Howe’s side will be looking to avoid a five-game winless streak, something they last endured in March 2023.

The statistics make for grim reading, but there’s a glimmer of hope for Newcastle in Howe’s record against Chelsea.

The manager has beaten the Blues twice during his time with the Magpies, and only Alan Pardew (four) has picked up more wins against Chelsea as Newcastle manager.

Howe also notched four wins against Chelsea during his spell at Bournemouth, placing him in a unique position.

If he secures a win on Sunday, Howe will become only the third manager to record three or more Premier League victories against Chelsea with two different clubs.

He will join an exclusive list with Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers) and David Moyes (Everton and West Ham United).

Chelsea’s spirited start to the Premier League season hit a roadblock last weekend as they fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, marking their second defeat of the season.

Each of their last three defeats has come against last season’s top three – Arsenal, Man City, and Liverpool. However, outside of these elite matchups, Chelsea’s form has been nothing short of exceptional.

Against all other opposition, they remain unbeaten in 19 matches (W13, D6), scoring 54 goals in the process.

Unsurprisingly, Cole Palmer has been the driving force in Chelsea’s impressive run, especially at Stamford Bridge.

The England international’s impact has been electric, with 18 goals and five assists in his last 14 home games for Chelsea.

Palmer has maintained a staggering rate of a goal or assist every 63 minutes at the Bridge.

Among players to have spent over 1,000 minutes on the field at a single stadium, only Man City’s Erling Braut Haaland boasts a better ratio, averaging a contribution every 57 minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

Nicolas Jackson has also emerged as a key figure in Chelsea’s frontline. The 23-year-old striker has been involved in 13 goals over his 13 Premier League appearances, with nine goals and four assists to his name.

He also opened the scoring in Chelsea’s thrilling 3-2 win over Newcastle back in March.

His form has provided Chelsea with a crucial focal point in attack, even as the team continues to mould their identity under Maresca’s leadership.

Team news

For the first time in recent memory, Chelsea can boast a clean bill of health heading into a Premier League contest, with Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana returning to the fold after serving their one-match suspensions.

On the other hand, Howe confirmed a fresh setback for Callum Wilson on Friday morning, which rules him out of Sunday’s clash.

Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles, and Martin Dubravka (knee) are also out of contention.

Chelsea potential starting line-up:

(4-2-3-1): Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto; Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo; Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Jadon Sancho; Nicolas Jackson.

Newcastle United potential starting line-up:

(4-3-3): Nick Pope; Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, Lewis Hall; Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes; Harvey Barnes, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon.

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