Premier League: Money Talks…But it Can’t Play Football!

Chelsea vs Newcastle United

At the start of the 2023/24 campaign, there were high hopes at Chelsea and Newcastle United. The Blues had a highly thought of new manager in Mauricio Pochettino and an expensively assembled squad, while Newcastle were getting ready for their first Champions League campaign.

Fast forward six months and things look rather different. The Blues are in 11^th place in the league table while Newcastle are in eighth and were unceremoniously dumped out of the Champions League, though Chelsea made the Carabao Cup final last week, only to lose to a patched up Liverpool side.            

Pochettino and Eddie Howe are two managers with their fair share of pressure right now, not least because of the wealth of their owners, and while Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal battle it out for the title, Premier League: Chelsea vs Newcastle United is mid-table clash.

But there’s plenty to play for with 11 games left.    

The Blues are four points behind Newcastle with a game in hand and the Geordies are still in the hunt for next season’s European places. The Chelsea vs Newcastle United betting odds say Pochettino’s men can win this game and, if they do and put a run of good results together it could turn out to be a decent season for a club in transition.  

Chelsea come into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw away to Brentford while Newcastle United beat Wolves 3-0 last time out and Howe too will be hoping this is the dawn of a happier period.

Talking Points

Chilwell doubt for Chelsea

The Blues have had their fair share of injuries this season and one of the key figures sidelined for much of the campaign is influential wingback Ben Chilwell. The England man has been absent for long spells and has only recently returned; but now he’s one of a number of players who are doubtful for the clash with Newcastle United on Monday.

Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher are both in the treatment room too, and to lose all three for such an important game would be a blow. A statement from the club said that Chilwell is receiving specialist treatment for a knee injury while Colwill has a problem with a toe. Gallagher has been suffering from a virus and he is the most likely of the three to play.

If Gallagher makes it, the Chelsea forward group will have a strong look to it with Cole Palmer, top scorer with ten goals, Nicolas Jackson and the returned Christopher Nkunku all fit and ready, alongside the experienced Raheem Sterling.       

Can Newcastle build on Wolves win? 

Newcastle’s match against Wolves came at a good time for the Magpies after a run of three games without a win and they were back to their best form with a comfortable 3-0 win. It was a handy turnaround for a team which had won only one of their last four Premier League games, conceding 12 goals along the way. Goals from Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Tino Livramento blew the Wolves away and the win moved the Magpies up to eighth and six points behind Manchester United in sixth.

Howe singled out the most praise for experienced defender Fabian Schar who put in a man-of-the-match performance. The 32-year-old Swiss ace had a faultless day in defence and had a hand in all three of Newcastle’s goals; and the Magpies boss said he would be very difficult to replace.

It’s been a tough season for Newcastle, not least in the transfer market and at a time when Financial Fair Play is starting to show some teeth the Geordies have been unable to spend their owners’ billions. But many of the players who won Champions League football are still at the club and the likes of Schar know what it takes to put a winning run together.       

History

In the head-to-head Chelsea vs Newcastle United the Blues have won 35 to Newcastle’s 17 and there have been 14 draws in all competitions since 1993; but the Magpies slapped the Blues 4-1 when they met at St James’ Park in November, before Chelsea got their revenge in the Carabao Cup quarter final.      

With identical records over the past six games of three wins, two draws and one defeat both teams are in decent form, but Newcastle have not won at Chelsea on any of their last 12 visits and I don’t think they are about break that sequence now.    

Betting Tip

Chelsea are priced at 1.86 to win this six-pointer with Newcastle at SBOTOP odds of 3.24 and the draw at 3.52. Both teams have failed to reach pre-season expectations but they have a chance to finish strongly and the winner of Monday’s match will be a good bet to at least finish in the top seven.

I’m backing the Blues to edge it with the odd goal in three.  

 

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