Chelsea - Newcastle United predictions and free betting tips [11/03/2024]

On Monday, 11th March, as part of the 28th round of the EPL, Chelsea will host Newcastle United at their home ground. Last weekend, the Blues snatched a draw from Brentford (2:2), while Eddie Howe's team comfortably dealt with Wolverhampton (3:0) solidifying their position in the top ten.

Predicted Line-ups

Chelsea: Petrovic; Gusto, Disasi, Chaloba, Kukurella; Kaisedo, Fernandez; Sterling, Palmer, Mudrik; Jackson.
Newcastle: Dubravka; Livramento, Scher, Botman, Bern; Willock, Gimaress, Longstaff; Murphy, Isak, Gordon.

Chelsea

Chelsea, just like a year ago, is not living up to the fans' expectations this season. At present, the Londoners are in a dismal 11th place in the Premier League table and are 14 points adrift of the European zone. After two losses in a row, the Blues claimed an away victory over Crystal Palace (3:1), followed by a draw against Manchester City (1:1). Last weekend, Mauricio Pochettino's protégés managed to snatch a draw from Brentford (2:2): the "Bees" were leading 2:1 thanks to efforts of Mads Roerslev and a stunning acrobatic strike by Yoan Wissa, yet Axel Disasi restored parity on the scoreboard towards the match's end. The fans' anger and calls to replace Pochettino with Jose Mourinho, who recently vacated Roma's managerial position, led the Argentinian admitting he does not "feel the support" from the fans. Nonetheless, the disgruntled fans are understandable: Chelsea is only 12th in the EPL table in terms of points earned at Stamford Bridge (18 in 12 matches).

From the start of the season, the Blues experienced serious squad issues due to injuries. Captain Reece James, midfielder Nkunku, French defenders Fofana and Badiashile, as well as midfielders Lavia, Ugbo, and Chukwuemeka, were all unavailable. Ben Chilwell and Levi Colwill also added to the injury list with knee and toe injuries respectively. Cole Palmer (10 goals and 7 assists) is having a fantastic season, proving himself to be the leader of the Londoners' attacks – he will likely be partnered again by Nicholas Jackson (8 goals and 3 assists). Marc Cucurella will play in the left-back position while Conor Gallagher will ensure the sturdiness of the midfield.

Newcastle United

Last year, Newcastle impressed everyone with their performances, something that cannot be said of the current season. At present, the "Magpies" occupy the 9th position in the overall Premier League standings, but they are still hopeful of making it into the European cups. In the past weeks, the "Stripes" have gained momentum and suffered just one defeat in their most recent six rounds, recording three wins. After suffering a crushing 4:1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates, Eddie Howe's men comfortably defeated Wolverhampton at home 3:0 last weekend. Even before the break, the "Magpies" took the lead with goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, and in the second half, Tino Livramento killed off any suspense in the match. Notably, out of the 40 points they've secured, Newcastle has only managed to garner 11 on the road. The last time the Black and Whites scored a victory in an away EPL match was back in September!

In the FA Cup, the residents of St James Park had a tough time getting past Blackburn (1:1, win by penalty shootout) and will face Manchester City in the quarterfinals. Newcastle's squad lacks the presence of main goalkeeper Pope, central midfielder Joelinton, striker Wilson (7 goals), and centre-back Targett. Kieran Trippier is ruled out until the international break due to a calf problem, while Lewis Hall won't be able to face his home club (on loan). The long-term suspension of Italian midfielder Tonali should also be taken into account. Gordon (9 goals and 5 assists) and Isak (11 goals), who made their mark in the last round, logically should be starters, supported by midfielders Gimaraesh and Longstaff.

Head-to-Head

Newcastle's visit to Stamford Bridge for the December quarterfinal of the EFL Cup ended in a penalty shootout defeat. However, in November of last year, Howe's men thrashed the Londoners 4:1 at St James Park.

Prediction for the Chelsea – Newcastle match

Both teams have been inconsistent in their performances throughout the season, which has resulted in a significant gap from the European zone. Chelsea has not lost a single one of its last six games in all competitions (if we consider the regular time), while the "Magpies" have only lost once in their last seven games. Therefore, I'm inclined to bet on a draw.