Sunday Premier League football starts with one of the season’s most interesting and important games. The outcome of this game will have severe consequences on how the battle for the European places will unfold and who will secure a UCL spot for next season. Newcastle and Chelsea have set their sights on UCL football next season, so a loss here for either can mean disaster.
Newcastle United Team News
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have resurfaced as one of the main contenders for the top 5 after a successful second half of the season. Their form has been stellar, with great results at the very end of the season being one of the main catalysts for the Geordies’ resurgence. As hosts, Newcastle have won their last 4 fixtures, scoring a total of 14 goals, while conceding just 2. A broader look will reveal that Howe’s men have been defeated just once across their last 9 competitive fixtures, although the loss came against an Aston Villa team, who have also set their sights on a top 5 finish.
Chelsea Team News
Chelsea will travel north in what can be described as a season-defining fixture. Enzo Maresca aims to secure Chelsea’s return to the UCL stage, and he is on that path. Although the Blues have mixed good periods with shaky performances, their recent Premier League results have been great, undefeated across their last 6 league fixtures. A 3-1 win over champions Liverpool will surely encourage Chelsea here to look for the 3 points, although it must be stated that the Blues do not have the best of away form. In truth, their away results have been rather poor, as the 1-2 win over Fulham is their only win across their last 5 league travels, and 3 of those games were also lost by Chelsea.
Head-to-Head-Games
Fixtures between Newcastle and Chelsea tend to feature a lot of goals, often scored by both sides. Three of the last 4 encounters produced over 2.5 goals, while 4 saw both teams scoring. Both sides have 2 wins to their names from the last 5 H2H games. Chelsea have also lost their last 3 visits to St James’ Park.
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Newcastle United FC | 38 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 21 | 66 | WDWLL |
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Chelsea FC | 38 | 20 | 9 | 9 | 21 | 69 | WWLWW |
Newcastle United – Chelsea Betting Prediction
For this game, my pick is for a Newcastle win. Eddie Howe’s team has been in fine form and has been deadly as hosts. On the other hand, Chelsea’s away performances have been rather poor, and on top of that, their H2H performances against Newcastle at St James’ Park have been problematic. At any rate, I expect this game to be a banger as a lot is put at stake here, but at the end of the day, it is Newcastle who I think will prevail here.
Betting Tip: Newcastle United To Win
Bookmaker: Stake
Odds: 2.21
Stake
Place your bet on Newcastle United – Chelsea at Stake