Newcastle vs Chelsea tips and predictions: Blues to edge a tight match at St James' Park

Despite their surprise 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth before the international break, Newcastle's start to the season can still be described as good.

Sitting in seventh place, just six points off the top four, home form has been the key to that and with an impressive win against Arsenal in their last home match, Chelsea will know that this will be a big test.

Despite an indifferent start to the season, Chelsea will take confidence from their last two results, a crazy 4-4 draw against Manchester City and 4-1 win at Tottenham.

Eddie Howe’s team have not conceded in a Premier League game at home since the dramatic late defeat to Liverpool in August, however Chelsea have found form on the road, picking up 10 points from a possible 15.

Some of the Blues’ new signings have also improved recently, including Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, who has scored four in his last two games.

Newcastle injury predicament will also give Chelsea hope of a result this weekend. The Magpies are without a cluster of first team players, including top scorer Callum Wilson. They haven't scored in the last two fixtures and will be desperate to see some cutting edge return to the side.

In a game between two of English football’s titans, this fixture should see plenty of goals with the Magpies scoring 27 goals this season so far and the Blues 21 goals, including eight in their last two.

But Chelsea could take advantage of the weakened Newcastle side and edge it by a goal.

Team news

There is some good news on the injury front for the Magpies as Miguel Almiron should make it despite coming off in the first half against Bournemouth and Alexander Isak is set to return after a month out with a groin injury.

Wilson, Sven Botman, Matt Targett, Dan Burn, Elliot Anderson, Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy and Javi Manquillo, will all miss out. Sandro Tonali is banned and Lewis Hall can't play against his parent club Chelsea.

Bruno Guimaraes is available after serving a one-match ban last time out.

Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling have all scored in two of Chelsea's last three games, and the attacking trio are all set to retain their places in the front three, although Mykhaylo Mudryk will be hoping to force his way back into the first XI.

It’s looking likely that Mauricio Pochettino will not have Malo Gusto to call upon after he suffered a knee injury in the draw against Man City, but Levi Colwill should make the squad despite pulling out of England duty.

Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Trevoh Chalobah and Marcus Bettinelli all remain sidelined with injuries, and the match could come too soon for Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia. 

Key stats

- Newcastle are scoreless in their last two games - both ending in defeats
- Chelsea scored 10 goals in their last three games across all competitions
- Newcastle have won six of their last seven at St James’ Park, five of those to nil
- Chelsea have won their last three away games

Predictions

Both teams to score: yes
Over 2.5 goals
Alexander Isak to score