Premier League team news and prediction: Newcastle vs Chelsea

Chelsea will be looking to improve upon their dire record at Newcastle when the two teams clash at St. James' Park in Saturday's lunchtime encounter. The Blues have won only one of their last seven visits to Tyneside, that a 2-1 win in 2018 courtesy of an Eden Hazard penalty and a late DeAndre Yedlin own goal.  

Ahead of the weekend's early kick off, we have all your need-to-know matchday information in one place, including the match permutations, team news and predicted XIs. 

When is kick off? 

Saturday 21st November, 12:30 GMT 

Where is the match? 

St. James' Park, Newcastle 

Where can I watch it? 

BT Sport 1 / BT Sport Ultimate 

2020/21 So Far 

Newcastle have perhaps surpassed expectations this season with talk of a takeover rumbling on. Off field matters haven't dented their performances on the pitch with the Magpies sat 13th, just four points behind Chelsea, coming into Saturday's clash. Steve Bruce may have overseen just three wins from eight matches, but two of those have come on home turf. Conversely, two of their three defeats have also come at St. James' Park and this inconsistency needs to be ironed out if they are to extend their fine home record against the Blues. 

Chelsea occupy a European spot at the time of writing, but the west London side have won just four league matches this season, though their sole defeat came against defending champions Liverpool, and both goals in that 2-0 loss came after they were reduced to 10-men. Unbeaten in six, and winning back-to-back league matches prior to the international break, everything looks to be clicking into gear for Frank Lampard's Chelsea as they look to end their St. James' Park hoodoo. 

Team News 

Steve Bruce will hope to have former Bournemouth pair Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser fit to make the squad for the welcome of Chelsea. Scans showed Wilson avoided a serious hamstring injury prior to the international break, but he is still considered a doubt, while things are bleaker for Fraser, who sustained a hamstring issue on international duty. First team regulars this season Matt Ritchie and Jonjo Shelvey are ruled out and join Martin Dubravka, Dwight Gayle, DeAndre Yedlin and Paul Dummett on the sidelines. Isaac Hayden, who scored a late winner in this game last season, is pushing for a recall. 

Kai Havertz is ruled out for Chelsea following his positive COVID-19 test earlier this month, while Christian Pulisic sustained a hamstring twinge prior to the win over Burnley on Halloween and the American, along with Billy Gilmour, won't make the trip north. Ben Chilwell is a doubt having pulled up with injury on international duty in Belgium and Frank Lampard is hoping to have the in-form left-back available for selection.  

Hakim Ziyech endured a lengthy trip back from international duty this week and that could pave the way for Callum Hudson-Odoi to start on the right. Thiago Silva sat out the first game back following the international break last month, that a 3-3 draw with Southampton, and could be rested for the trip to Newcastle, with Antonio Rudiger potentially replacing the Brazilian in the XI to make his first Premier League start of the season. 

Probable XIs 

Newcastle (352) - Darlow; Schar, Lascelles, Fernandez; Murphy, Hendrick, Hayden, S. Longstaff, Lewis; Wilson, Saint-Maximin

Chelsea (433) - Mendy; James, Zouma, Rudiger, Chilwell; Kovacic, Kante, Mount; Ziyech, Abraham, Werner

Key Batte - Allan Saint-Maximin vs Timo Werner

With a WhoScored rating of 7.06, Allan Saint-Maximin is one of Newcastle's best rated players this season and he'll look to add to his one goal and one assist in 2020/21. The Frenchman has the means to turn the game in Newcastle's favour in the blink of an eye. Saint-Maximin's trickery on the ball should prove a huge test for a Chelsea defence that has been resolute of late, conceding just one goal in the last three.

A blank against Spain in midweek ended Timo Werner's five-game goalscoring run for club and country, but the German looks to be hitting his stride after a slow start to life for the Blues. Indeed, Werner has now had a direct hand in eight goals in his last six outings, scoring seven, all the while scoring his first away league goal in Chelsea's comfortable win at Burnley prior to the international break.

Prediction: Newcastle 0-2 Chelsea