Chelsea vs Newcastle United

Stamford Bridge sets the stage for a handsomely-looking Premier League showdown between European hopefuls Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Despite relinquishing a seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W5, D2) with a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool last weekend, Chelsea still retained their position in the Premier League top six ahead of this round. Enzo Maresca’s side quickly bounced back from that upset with a thumping 4-1 UEFA Europa League triumph at Panathinaikos midweek, making it two wins out of two in the league phase. Back to Stamford Bridge, where they’ve only lost one of their last 29 top-flight meetings with Newcastle United (W21, D7), the Blues will be out to improve their underwhelming home league record in 2024/25 (W1, D2, L1). With both last season’s Premier League H2Hs featuring over 2.5 goals in matches garnering precisely five goals, the Bridge crowd could also be in for a treat.

On the other hand, Newcastle United’s rough patch at the start of the new league campaign hit a new low last weekend as Brighton trumped the Mapgies 1-0 at St James’ Park, condemning them to a fourth consecutive Premier League outing without a win (D2, L2). A lack of offensive firepower saw Eddie Howe’s side score a meager average of 0.5 goals per game during that sequence, casting further doubt on their bid to post their first top-flight win in West London since May 2012. A failed attempt to achieve that feat would see the Tyneside outfit go five successive Premier League matches without winning for the first time since March 2023, which would, in turn, heighten the pressure on Howe.