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A revealing contest between Newcastle United and Chelsea, both sitting out of their natural place on the ladder. Join us for a live blog of the game tonight at 11:45pm ADST.
Chelsea head to St James Park in need of a win.
Spluttering in the Champions League, knocked out of the League Cup at home to Liverpool, and on the back of three losses from their last five Premier League games, the pressure is just starting to build.
Andre Vilas-Boas is just beginning to publicly defend his right to the job, and that’s never a good sign.
Sacking him would be utterly ridiculous, but the owner is Roman Abramovich, and that bad run, in which Queens Park Rangers, Arsenal and Liverpool have toppled them, leaves them fifth. Outside the Champions League places, ten points off the lead and drifting.
Newcastle by contrast are in need of a pinch to prove they’re not dreaming. Two weeks ago their unbeaten streak came to end, and yet they regrouped and took a point away from Old Trafford, something their opponents today have failed to do in their last two attempts.
They sit fourth, a point ahead of Chelsea, and looking nothing like the rabble that were almost mercifully relegated three seasons ago. Many would have expected the bubble to burst after the loss to Manchester City, and they are at the end of as nasty a streak of games as the Premiership could throw up: Manchester City away, Manchester United away, Chelsea at home.
A result here would show that Newcastle can handle it, and that their form is not a flash in the pan.
The last time these teams met was back in November, and Andy Carroll’s early goal was Newcastle’s tonic for a 1-1 draw. Newcastle could arguably be seen as a bogey team for Chelsea, the Blues have only won twice in their last ten meetings.
A big game for both teams, this one should be a cracker. Also expect plenty of emotion before the game, as Gary Speed is mourned by fans who once chanted his name.
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