Newcastle vs Chelsea: Struggling Magpies prepare to host league leaders

Newcastle vs Chelsea: Struggling Magpies prepare to host league leaders - Oct 30

Topics: TV Schedules, TV Listings, Chelsea, Newcastle United, English Premier League

It's a tale of two contrasting fortunes as struggling Newcastle prepare to welcome current league leaders Chelsea on Saturday, October 30.

Preview: Newcastle vs Chelsea

Floundering near the bottom of the table, with just four points from their first nine games, it's been nothing short of a nightmare season for Newcastle United. The Magpies find themselves in 19th place, and are still seeking their first win of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign. Indeed, they haven't won a match since the last matchday of the 2020/21 season, when they beat an already-relegated Fulham.

The hosts come into this tie having drawn Crystal Palace at the weekend, and three of their four points have been picked up from their last five games. They've since sacked Steve Bruce as the new owners seek to revive the club's fortunes, but everyone knows that is not something that will happen overnight; after all, as the proverbial saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day".

Meanwhile, Chelsea have been in fine form this season. The Blues currently sit on top of the Premier League table with 22 points. More important, Thomas Tuchel's men have been excellent on the defensive front, with just three goals conceded so far this season. That's their best record since the 2004/05 and 2010/11 campaigns, during which they conceded just two goals from their first nine Premier League games. With three wins on the spin heading into this contest, the Blues are seeking to win four on the trot for the first time since February of this year, and more significant, to potentially win three consecutive away games without conceding for the first time in nearly five years.

However, the Blues, who cruised to a 7-0 win over Norwich last time out, have been hit by a major injury crisis, with Romelu Lukaku, Christian Pulisic, and Timo Werner all ruled out for the trip to St. James's Park.

Team news: Newcastle vs Chelsea

Newcastle: Martin Dubravka, Freddie Woodman and Paul Dummett are all still out injured for the hosts.

Chelsea: The Blues have been dealt a major blow with Romelu Lukaku, Christian Pulisic, and Timo Werner all on the sidelines, while Cesar Azpilicueta, N'Golo Kante, Andreas Christensen, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are all looking to make their returns from various ailments.