Newcastle Clash with Chelsea: Bold Predictions and Starting XI Revealed
The Premier League weekend begins with excitement as Newcastle United host Chelsea at St James' Park for Saturday's early kickoff.
Both teams secured their spots in the Carabao Cup semi-finals during midweek, with the possibility of facing each other in the final at Wembley, but now they must turn their focus back to Premier League action in their last match before the Christmas break.
Newcastle have dominated this matchup at home in recent years, claiming victory in their previous four encounters against the Blues at St James' Park, though Eddie Howe's squad lacks confidence after their disappointing loss in the Tyne-Wear derby last weekend. That frustrating 1–0 defeat leaves them sitting in 12th position heading into the weekend.
Chelsea are barely holding onto fourth place after bouncing back with a win last weekend, as Enzo Maresca's team defeated Everton at Stamford Bridge. This marked their first victory in four Premier League fixtures as early season title aspirations fade, and they face a significant challenge against the Magpies before an energetic St James' Park audience.
Here is Sports Illustrated's preview of this exciting encounter.
What Time Does Newcastle vs. Chelsea Kick-Off?
Newcastle vs. Chelsea Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
Current Form (All Competitions)
Newcastle | Chelsea |
|---|---|
Newcastle 2–1 Fulham - 17/12/25 | Cardiff 1–3 Chelsea - 16/12/25 |
Sunderland 1–0 Newcastle - 14/12/25 | Chelsea 2–0 Everton - 13/12/25 |
Bayer Leverkusen 2–2 Newcastle - 10/12/25 | Atalanta 2–1 Chelsea - 09/12/25 |
Newcastle 2–1 Burnley - 06/12/25 | Bournemouth 0–0 Chelsea - 06/12/25 |
Newcastle 2–2 Tottenham - 02/12/25 | Leeds 3–1 Chelsea - 03/12/25 |
How to Watch Newcastle vs. Chelsea on TV
Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, discovery+, discovery+ App |
United States | USA Network, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, NBC Sports App, nbcsports.com, UNIVERSO, UNIVERSO NOW |
Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada |
Mexico | Max Mexico, TNT Sports, TNT Go |
Newcastle Team News
Newcastle are dealing with several injury concerns before Chelsea's arrival, with most problems concentrated in their defensive line.
Former Chelsea defender Tino Livramento encountered another injury setback during midweek and remains unavailable until 2026, while Lewis Hall faces uncertainty against his former club due to a hamstring problem. Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Emil Krafth and Sven Botman are confirmed absentees in defense, while Nick Pope's return between the posts remains questionable.
William Osula is also sidelined in attack, but Yoane Wissa's recent comeback and exclusion from the DR Congo squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations brings encouragement for Howe. The summer acquisition netted his debut goal for the club on Wednesday.
Newcastle Predicted Lineup vs. Chelsea
Newcastle predicted lineup vs. Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; Miley, Thiaw, Schär, Hall; Guimarães, Tonali, Ramsey; Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea will miss Estêvão for the Newcastle fixture as he recovers from a muscle injury that kept him out of Tuesday night's Cardiff City cup match. He joins Levi Colwill and Roméo Lavia on the injury list, alongside suspended Mykhailo Mudryk.
Liam Delap and Dário Essugo are also receiving treatment. Maresca has indicated the former should return for the Aston Villa match two days after Christmas. The Blues manager initially mentioned Essugo in his update but this was later clarified as an error—Maresca intended to reference Estêvão instead.
Maresca rotated his complete starting eleven for the Cardiff encounter and will return to his preferred lineup against Newcastle. Moisés Caicedo, who has completed his three-match suspension, looks set to be the sole survivor from Tuesday's team.
Chelsea Predicted Lineup vs. Newcastle
Chelsea predicted lineup vs. Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Sánchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernández; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro.
Newcastle vs. Chelsea Score Prediction
Newcastle's mounting defensive injuries will undoubtedly weaken them on Saturday and keeping a clean sheet seems nearly impossible. Fortunately, the Magpies possess attacking quality capable of troubling Chelsea and boast an excellent home record in this fixture.
The Blues are refreshed after making complete changes in the Carabao Cup and that additional energy should assist them in breaking down an injury-depleted defense. However, Chelsea remain unpredictable and may find it challenging to secure victory in a hostile atmosphere.