Chelsea will end their terrible season on Sunday with a home game vs Newcastle United, with the mood in the two respective camps very different.
Chelsea vs Newcastle United is a game featuring teams with little to play for ahead of their Stamford Bridge meeting in the final round of Premier League fixtures. The Blues will finish the campaign with their worst-ever points tally in the Premier League era and could stoop as low as 14th in the table should results go against them on the final day.
The fact that it is the final game of the season will come as music to the ears of Chelsea supporters, who are desperate for the season to end. It has been a truly miserable campaign for the club despite spending over £600 million on new signings over the past couple of transfer windows under the new ownership.
Sixteen defeats in a single season is an unpleasant club record for Chelsea, with Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Lampard all in the dugout at Stamford Bridge. A 4-1 thrashing at Manchester United on Thursday really epitomised their season.
A new chapter is about to begin, with Mauricio Pochettino expected to be appointed as the next permanent head coach in the coming months. Although Lampard was unable to turn around Chelsea’s fortunes in a dismal campaign, the manager will hope to end his second stint in charge of the club on a positive note at least.
Newcastle United, meanwhile, will sign off for the season at Stamford Bridge, having already secured a top-four finish and Champions League football for next season thanks to a scoreless draw against Leicester City on Monday night.
It has been 20 years since the Magpies last played in Europe’s premier club competition. But they are now assured of finishing in the top four of the Premier League. Qualification caps off a very impressive season for Eddie Howe’s side, who also reached the Carabao Cup final, where they lost to Manchester United.
What’s more, the Magpies could still reclaim their third spot should they beat Chelsea and Manchester United drop points at home to Fulham in the final game of the season.
The visitors will be smelling the chance to make a final weekend statement in the capital. Only continuing on what has been a history-making flurry, Howe’s side will be looking to cash in on a Chelsea side that are firmly in the midst of what has been a public crisis.
Team News & Tactics
Chelsea
Newcastle next. 👊#CheNew pic.twitter.com/ZFd0btG0l3
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 27, 2023
Chelsea will be without the services of Reece James, N’Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, and Mateo Kovacic this weekend after missing out at Old Trafford in midweek. Caretaker boss Frank Lampard fielded a very young Chelsea team against Manchester United and may continue to do so here.
It is highly unlikely Kepa Arrizabalaga will be the Blues’ No. 1 goalkeeper by the start of next season, with the club actively looking to improve in that area over the summer transfer window. Thiago Silva could make a full return on Sunday afternoon and partner Wesley Fofana at the back.
In James’s absence, Cesar Azpilicueta will start at right-back and will be tasked with negating the threat of Allan Saint-Maximin or Isak. The injuries to Chilwell and Cucurella have paved the way for Hall to play at left-back, as he showed glimpses of his talent against Manchester United and should have had two assists but for Kai Havertz and Mykhailo Mudryk’s poor finishing.
Despite Chelsea’s overall struggles, Enzo Fernandez once again showed his class on Thursday night. And the fact he’s started every game since signing for Chelsea in January proves his worth to the side. He will undoubtedly play a massive part under his compatriot Pochettino when the Argentine takes over.
This could well be the last game in Chelsea colours for Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who is likely to leave the Blues this summer. Workhorse Conor Gallagher has been a regular under Lampard and should retain his place for the final game of the season.
Joao Felix is probably one of the very few Chelsea players who can be reasonably content with this season. Since joining on loan from Atletico Madrid in January, his midweek goal at Old Trafford was his fifth in a struggling side, which is not a bad return. The Portuguese star could start here in the false-nine role ahead of Havertz.
Noni Madueke also caught the eye with his directness and trickery at Old Trafford. He needs to improve his final third product, no doubt, but he could start against Newcastle. Christian Pulisic should come in place of Mudryk, who had a poor performance against Manchester United.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Kepa; Azpilicueta, Silva, Fofana, Hall; Gallagher, Fernandez, Loftus-Cheek; Pulisic, Felix, Madueke
Newcastle United
In his pre-match press conference, Eddie Howe admitted that his side is pretty much “stretched to the limit” ahead of the visit to Stamford Bridge. Joelinton has joined Javier Manquillo, Matt Ritchie, and Jamaal Lascelles in the treatment room after pulling out of the warm up before the Leicester City game on Monday.
Nick Pope, who underwent hand surgery earlier this week, will be hoping to return in time for the start of pre-season. With this game essentially a dead rubber, Howe may also opt to rest key midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who has been playing through the pain barrier because of an ankle issue in recent weeks.
In Nick Pope’s absence, Martin Dubravka is in line for a rare start in between the sticks for the Magpies. In defence, Matt Targett could come in at left-back, with Dan Burn shifting to a familiar centre-back role alongside Fabian Schar. Young Harrison Ashby could be handed a chance to show his potential at right-back in place of Kieran Trippier.
Speedy recovery, @Popey1992! 💪 pic.twitter.com/EvQWECQA17
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) May 26, 2023
Anderson made just his second start of the league season against Leicester and did not look out of place. He is likely to be given another shot from the off alongside Sean Longstaff, especially with Willock ruled out and Joelinton a doubt.
Callum Wilson is enjoying a strong end to the season with eight goals in his last seven games. But he could also be rested here as Howe looks to prevent any late-season injuries that could hamper the pre-season preparations. As a result, Alexander Isak could shift to a more central striker role here.
Anthony Gordon and Saint-Maximin could both be handed the chance to impress here out wide, and they will look to give a good account of themselves. Lewis Miley could also make his Premier League debut, with the 17-year-old in contention to play some part after being an unused substitute in each of our last two games. A mixture of upcoming young members of the squad and long-serving veterans who may be on their way out in the summer, using this as one final farewell.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Dubravka; Ashby, Schar, Burn, Targett; Almiron, S Longstaff, Anderson; Gordon, Isak, Saint-Maximin
Key Stats
- Chelsea are without a win in their last seven home games in all competitions (D3 L4).
- Newcastle United lost all their last ten away games with Chelsea.
- Newcastle have four wins and just one defeat in their last seven games.
- Newcastle have lost just one of their last seven Premier League appearances away from St. James’ Park.
- Chelsea have failed to score in four of their last six games at Stamford Bridge.
Player to Watch
Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak looks like a good candidate to get on the scoresheet here, especially if Callum Wilson is rested. The fleet-footed Swede has gone six games without a goal. But he has started alongside Wilson in the last four of those and has taken on a somewhat different role, manning more of a holding the width, and trying to create chances rather than getting on the end of things.
It has been a relatively successful season for the 23-year-old despite his niggling injury problems. Taking the Premier League by storm, he is into double digits for goals in his debut season and has been nominated for the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award for his starring role in reviving Newcastle’s Champions League bid after a mid-season slump. He may well be the focal point in attack on Sunday, and he can sign off for the campaign with a goal in London.
Prediction
Chelsea 1-3 Newcastle United
End-of-season games with next to nothing to play for often produce goals. Newcastle United have been in good scoring form on their travels of late, while Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet in their last ten games.
While the Magpies will already be looking ahead to their first Champions League campaign after 20 or so years of misery, Chelsea have enjoyed the exact opposite campaign, and with confidence surely at an all-time low, the Hard Tackle backs Newcastle here to put the tin lid on a miserable season for the Blues.
