Newcastle United: Match Preview

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About the match: In-form Chelsea travel north to face a troubled Newcastle United team this Saturday in the Barclays Premier League. Having won the last 6 games in all competitions, the Blues are riding high on confidence while Newcastle have endured a troubled week losing to local rivals Sunderland before getting knocked out of the League Cup on Wednesday.

Victory for Chelsea in Saturday's lunch-time kickoff will take them to the top of the Premier League overtaking current leaders Arsenal

Date/Time: Saturday, November 2, 2013, 12:45 GMT, 07:45 EST, 20: 45 HKT

Venue: St James Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England

About the Opposition: Despite sitting in 11th position in the table, manager Alan Pardew is under pressure to produce results and a defeat could send Newcastle into the relegation zone by the end of the weekend. The Magpies' home record is poor this season, with only one win to date, against Fulham.

Latest Meetings: In the first encounter between the two sides last season, goals from Fernando Torres and Eden Hazard gave Chelsea a routine 2-0 win but in the reverse fixture, Newcastle beat Rafa Benitez's Chelsea 3-2 with late goals from Moussa Sissoko overturning Chelsea's 2-1 lead.

Last 10 meetings

P W D L GS GA

10 4 3 3 17 12

Recent form

Newcastle: LWDLL

Chelsea: WWWWW

Team News

Massadio Haidara and Paul Dummett both limped off in the cup against City in midweek and are doubts for this game as a result. Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini are also unlikely to return in time, giving Pardew a selection headache in defence. Pardew could hand Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa a start in defence after he missed the derby against Sunderland due to suspension.

Jose Mourinho meanwhile has a selection headache of a different kind. Against Arsenal, the Blues boss made 10 changes from the team that faced Man City, and the B team produced a good performance in the 2-0 win in midweek. With a Champions League game against Schalke coming up later in the week, Mourinho may rotate the team again.

Marco van Ginkel is the only Chelsea player out injured.

Possible Starting Lineups

Newcastle: Krul; Debuchy, Williamson, Yanga-Mbiwa, Santon; Tiote, Sissoko, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Gouffran; Remy

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Lampard, Hazard, Oscar, Willian; Torres

Stats and Facts

- Newcastle have netted a joint-league-high five goals from outside the box this season and have conceded the joint-most headed goals this season (five, along with Fulham)

- Only bottom two Crystal Palace and Sunderland have conceded more goals than Newcastle's 16 in this season's Premier League

- The Blues have the best home record in the Premier League but are ranked 13th in the away form table, having won just one of their four away matches so far

- Jose Mourinho has won only two of his last nine Premier League away games (D5 L2)

- Chelsea have not conceded more than one goal in any League game this season

- Eden Hazard has created more chances from open play than any other player in the Premier League this season (19)

Odds: Newcastle United 5.50, Chelsea 1.65, Draw 3.80

Coverage: The game will be aired on BT Sport 1 in the UK, NBC Sports Live in the US and on Fox/ESPN in Asia and Australia. For region-specific details visit http://www.livesocce...ted-vs-chelsea/

You can also follow the game on Twitter through the live feed on our Official Account.

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[CHOULO19 24,332]

Great work, mate. Brief and informative.

I really fancy our chances if both Colocini and Taylor are still out.

[Rmpr 8,977]

We will beat the Geordies!