Chelsea (A): Pre-match thoughts, team news, possible line-ups & prediction

The comfortable win against a good Wolves team last time out has seen up climb the table and perhaps we can begin to look upwards rather than glaring perilously at mid-table.

What was striking about the manner of the win against Wolves was the way in which the ball was progressed on the counter. It will be in transition where Eddie Howe's Mags will need to be sharp again as they return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since that agonising penalty shoot-out loss in the League Cup quarter-final.

Howe insists his side have "learned" from that experience ahead of the trip to under-fire Chelsea.

"It was a difficult night; we did a lot right. It was in a time we were struggling with a lot of injuries; I think we learnt from that, through every difficult experience there is a positive," Howe said.

"Chelsea have definitely improved throughout the season, they have got better and better, they have top quality players and an outstanding manager. We know it will be a very difficult game against a team that is dangerous."

The Toon boss has set his sights on a place in European competition next season and said: "We have got a bit of form behind us; we are looking to recapture our very best performance levels. We have really high expectations of ourselves. I am determined to try and achieve the maximum that we can and get back into Europe."

Team news

Kieran Trippier will miss the forthcoming game and our FA Cup quarter-final trip to Man City after sustaining a minor calf injury against Wolves. Nick Pope is likely to return next month and Matt Targett is close to return. There is no change to news of long-term absentees Callum Wilson (pectoral), Joelinton (thigh) and Sandro Tonali (suspension).

Chelsea will be without Ben Chilwell and Levi Colwill after both picked up injuries against Brentford. Conor Gallagher is ill and may miss out too, with Christopher Nkunku absent once again.

Predicted XI: Dubravka - Livramento, Schar, Botman, Burn - Longstaff, Bruno, Willock - Almiron, Isak, Gordon. 

Livramento replaced Trippier in the last game after he was withdrawn and ended up grabbing his first goal in black and white. The young full back will start and I expect we will be discussing his performance again after the match.

I also suspect Almiron will replace Murphy in the starting line-up in order to put Chelsea's shaky defence under more pressure.

Prediction: Chelsea 1 - 1 Newcastle

Both teams have stuttered this season and Pochettino faces the real problem of losing the fans with a couple more poor results.

That being said, Chelsea still possess quality - even if it is stunted - and Newcastle's luck at the Bridge in recent years has not been spectacular. Realistically, I'd say a point is most likely.

HOWAY THE LADS.