Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea hope to close the gap on Newcastle with a win on Saturday, but they will face a hostile atmosphere in the north-east.
Despite their previous Champions League success, Newcastle has struggled with consistency this season, with their last consecutive league wins coming in September.
Eddie Howe’s squad faced disruptions while navigating a difficult European group, resulting in a less-than-smooth start to the season. Despite a 10-game unbeaten domestic run prior to the loss to Bournemouth, injuries have taken their toll, with up to 12 players potentially out.
The upcoming match, despite both teams’ injury concerns, remains an intriguing match with significant implications for the season, particularly in terms of European ambitions for 2024/25.
Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher believe Newcastle will win in front of their home fans at St James’ Park. “2-0 Newcastle,” the former Manchester United and England player said on The Overlap. Chelsea isn’t scoring any goals up there.”
Eddie Howe’s men have only conceded three goals at home this season, despite facing formidable opponents like Aston Villa, Arsenal, and Liverpool.
They will need their home form and resilience to beat an in-form Chelsea team that has scored four goals in their last two games against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.
