Premier League: Bouncebackability at the Bridge

Chelsea vs Newcastle United

So, who will have Premier League bouncebackability? American owned Chelsea or Saudi-owned Newcastle?

The clubs with big bucks should both be doing better than they are, but who’s to say they can’t improve on their respective sixth and seventh place finishes last term.

 

Talking Points

Chelsea are sixth in the standings now too and gave leaders Liverpool a good game last Sunday, although not enough to suggest they are able to mount a title bid.

Given their outlay, that is the very least that should be expected, although managerial upheaval during the past two seasons has hardly helped.

To their credit, that 2-1 defeat was Enzo Maresca’s first since the opening day of the season and their squad depth was shown when they romped to a 4-1 victory over Panathinaikos in Greece on Thursday night.

An entirely different starting XI was named with Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk among those given the chance to impress.

Impress they did as former Atletico Madrid winger Felix scored twice and Mudryk assisted both of them.

Felix has not started in the Premier League so far this season, while Mudryk is yet to nail down a starting spot since his big-money move from Shakthar Donetsk in January 2023.

Both made the most of the opportunity and could come into the manager’s thinking for Sunday, while don’t be surprised if Nicolas Jackson, Levi Colwill, Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Wesley Fofana, and Moises Caicedo all return after being rested.

Noni Madueke, loanee Jadon Sancho and Robert Sanchez all travelled to Athens but are expected to come back into the starting lineup.

Fofana and Marc Cucurella both served domestic suspensions last weekend.

As for Newcastle, they were profligate at times in their surprise home defeat to Brighton last Saturday which means they have not scored a goal from open play for a month.

Currently in ninth place, if they can get their shooting boots on, they have the talent to produce Premier League 2024 highlights.

They will hope to welcome back Callum Wilson after recent back and hamstring problems. Club captain Kieran Trippier, Jamaal Lascelles, and Sven Botman are all out injured.

With no European football to occupy them, this season actually appears to be an ideal time for the Tynesiders to launch a challenge for, at least, a Premier League top four spot.

A trip to Stamford Bridge will test those credentials.

 

History

Traditionally this had been a very closely matched clash – that was until 20 years ago when the Roman Abramovich era rolled into west London.

Chelsea spent bigger than anyone and went in a direction which Newcastle could only dream about, until they were taken over in late 2021 that is.

Overall, Chelsea have 80 victories to Newcastle’s 56 triumphs with a further 40 draws.

All three meetings last season went the way of the home team.

In this fixture, Chelsea edged out the Geordies in a five-goal thriller as Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer and Mudryk scored the goals.

Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy replied for Eddie Howe’s men.

On Tyneside it was more one way as Newcastle ran out 4-1 winners last November when Isak, Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon were the goal-getters.

Raheem Sterling was on target for the visitors.

Chelsea also won with home advantage in the League Cup fifth round last December.

They triumphed in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw which Mudryk forced with a last-minute equaliser at Stamford Bridge to cancel out Callum Wilson’s opener.

The very first meeting between these sides came in Division One in September 1907 when Ronald Orr scored the only goal of the contest in favour of the home side at St James’ Park.

They met again in west London nine days later when Chelsea turned the tables, courtesy of Jimmy Windridge and Billy Bridgeman goals.

Their most famous modern-day meeting was probably an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley in 2000 when two Gus Poyet goals earned Chelsea a 2-1 success as they went onto win the competition to spark two decades of silverware.

 

Betting Tip

Chelsea are strongly fancied to bounce back from their Anfield reverse.

You can get a deal on a home win of 1X2 @ 1.80 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.05 with the SBOTOP Premier League 2024 betting odds.

As for the Toon, they can be backed 1X2 @ 3.63 and Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.11.

A repeat of last season’s meeting – Correct Score 3-2 – will pay out @ 18.00

You have to go back to 2008 for the last time there was a goalless draw between these two sides at Stamford Bridge.

So rather than Total Goals 0-1 @ 4.32, what about 2-3 @ 2.09 or 4-6 @ 2.38. There’s certainly no shortage of attacking talent on display and Over 3.50 will pay out @ 2.28.

I am going for an exciting game which finishes with honours even.

   

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