Football returns to Stamford Bridge, this Saturday! Jose Mourinho will be leading his players against Newcastle United, nine days after surprisingly collapsing 5-3 away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Simultaneously, joint EPL leaders Manchester City will be playing against Everton. The result of that game may help Chelsea solidify their lead or drop into second position by the end of proceedings. As of now, both the Blues and the Citizens have the same numbers: 14 wins, 4 draws, 2 defeats, 44 goals scored, 19 goals conceded which amount to 46 points with a (+25) goal difference.
The race for the English Premier League title is as tight as it could get. Chelsea’s assistant coach, Steve Holland, revealed how optimistic the squad is ahead of Saturday’s clash. The reason? An entire week for preparations. He told the press on Friday afternoon:
“Everybody trained today. Everybody is in good shape physically and there is a strong determination within the group to win the game. We lost there [at St. James’ Park] recently and it’s not something we want to repeat [at Stamford Bridge].
“The tactical preparation we’ve had this week is the best it’s been for months, given we’ve had a clear week to prepare. So we’re in good shape and we’re ready to play the game.”
While Chelsea have a 100% home record in the EPL, Newcastle have lost each of their last four matches away from home, in all competitions this season. They also haven’t been able to complete a double over Chelsea since the 1986/87 season. As if Saturday’s task wasn’t hard enough to accomplish, the Magpies will be obliged to face the hosts without Papiss Cisse and Cheick Tiote; the pair are on duty ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
Chelsea vs Newcastle United team sheets
Chelsea's lineup: Cech; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Matic, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Diego Costa.
Newcastle's lineup: Krul; Janmaat, Coloccini (c), Williamson, Dummett; Sissoko, Anita, Colback; Cabella, Perez, Gouffran.
Chelsea's Subs: Courtois, Cahill, Filipe Luis, Mikel, Ramires, Remy, Drogba.
Newcastle's Subs: Woodman, Santon, Haidara, Ameobi, Vuckic, Armstrong, Riviere.
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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