Premier League Preview: Newcastle United vs. Chelsea

For Chelsea, everything’s looking pretty rosy at the moment as Jose Mourinho’s squad rotation system is working a charm in the PL

  • Newcastle have conceded the third most goals (16) in the PL this season
  • Chelsea are aiming for a seventh-straight win in all competitions
  • Last season the Magpies beat the Blues 3-2, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Moussa Sissoko

On Saturday at St. James’ Park high-flying Chelsea travel north to face under-pressure Newcastle United (8:45am, watch live on NBCSN and online via NBC Sports Live Extra) as both teams desperately need a win.

After losing last weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby to Sunderland late on, Alan Pardew will be expecting a response from his side. But after just one win in their last five league games and the Magpies slipping towards the bottom of the table, unrest around the owner, board and manager is readily audible from fans.

For Chelsea, everything’s looking pretty rosy at the moment as Jose Mourinho’s squad rotation system is working a charm in the PL, Champions League and the League Cup. Chelsea have won six straight games in October and are just two points behind league leaders Arsenal and looked pretty good in that late win over Man City last-time out.

The Blues are leaving the likes of Juan Mata, David Luiz and Samuel Eto’o on the bench and their squad looks incredibly strong to last the marathon PL season. With Fernando Torres firing on all cylinders and a solid back four not allowing more than one goal in any PL games this season, Chelsea’s rivals are looking over their shoulders enviously as Mourinho’s men continue to march up the league.

Newcastle are facing huge injury problems ahead of this match, as central defenders Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini and Paul Dummett are all set to miss out. As for Chelsea, Mourinho has no fresh injury worries as he will rotate the team who beat Arsenal 2-0 in the League Cup on Tuesday.

What they’re saying

Jose Mourinho on his selection headache: “All of my players have a collective soul at the moment. That’s the most important thing. I’m unfair with the players I am not selecting because they are doing everything to play. It’s a difficult feeling for me, it’s not easy for me to leave players at home and on the bench because everybody deserves to play. But we have one of the most difficult matches of the whole season at St James’ Park and we want to try and keep winning.”

Alan Pardew on Newcastle’s pivotal stretch coming up: “We are coming into some games which are really what our season is all about. We have lost two games to teams in and around us and we have to try to make up those two against the top teams. I’m not worried about a slump because I think it is a long Premier League season and you have to be logical. There are periods in the season when you have difficult games and I think we have just had a difficult batch.”

Prediction

I think Chelsea will run away with this one, as the Blues’ superior squad strength will be the determining factor. Having an entirely different XI to come in fresh from the team that beat Arsenal in midweek is astounding, and if Torres continues his tremendous form I can see this being a big win for the visitors. That said, everyone knows how difficult it is to visit St. James’ Park with a hostile crowd cheering their side on. But I think Mourinho’s men will get the job done, easily.

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