Blues are wary of those above them
Chelsea will start tonight’s match below Newcastle in the table for the fourth successive Premier League meeting between the sides, the longest run since their first eight games in the revamped top flight between 1993 and 1997.
Over the past three seasons, the Blues have won just 11% of their league games against teams above them in the table (P27 W3 D8 L16).
Tino takes over from the injured Trippier
Newcastle (4-3-3): 1 Dubravka; 21 Livramento, 5 Schar, 4 Botman, 33 Branden; 38 Longstaff, 39 Guimaraes. 28 Willock; 24 Almiron, 14 Isaac, 10 Gordon
Subs: 18 Karius, 6 Lascelles, 11 Ritchie, 13 Targett, 17 Krafth, 23 Murphy, 32 Anderson, 40 Wit, 67 Miley
Cucurella replaces Chelsea
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): 28 Petrović; 27 Gusto, 2 Disasi, 14 Chalobah, 3 Cucurella; 8 Fernandez, 25 Caicedo; 20 Palmer, 23 Gallagher, 7 Sterling; 15Jackson
Subs: 1 Sanchez, 6 Silva, 10 Mudryk, 11 Madueke, 17 Chukwuemeka, 31 Casadei, 36 Washington, 42 Gilchrist, 63 Acheampong