Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink hopes Diego Costa will be available despite suffering a broken nose on Thursday.
Defender Kurt Zouma is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, while new signing Alexandre Pato is not yet ready to be involved.
Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback returns after a hamstring injury and could fill in at left-back with both Paul Dummett and Massadio Haidara out.
Jamaal Lascelles is back after a ban, while Emmanuel Riviere is fit again.
Editor’s Note: 13th play 17th at Stamford Bridge this Evening, I don’t think anyone thought they would be writing that opening sentence for this match but this season has thrown up so many twists and turns then you don’t really know what is meant to be a surprise anymore. It’s not quite a 6 pointer but neither team wants to be where they are in the League table for probably different reasons.
Chelsea it’s pretty obvious as defending Champions have not envisaged their season being as it is with them in the bottom half of the table while Newcastle are doing their level best to avoid another dramatic last day of the season where they have to play for the survival, with Tottenham their opposition on May 15 they will most definitely want their season wrapped up by then.
That is three months away and firstly the have to get past the hurdle of a Chelsea side that are still unbeaten since Guus Hiddink took charge of the club for the second time. Although that record is only intact thanks to Diego Costa’s injury time equaliser against Manchester United on Sunday. Costa scored in the 1st minute of the 6 allotted to grab a share of the points at Stamford Bridge,
Those 6 minutes were mainly given due to the horrific injury that Kurt Zouma suffered, that injury not only sees him out for the season but also sees him miss France’s EURO 2016 campaign. A cruel blow for Zouma especially with it being on his home soil. Whether that injury means a contract reprieve for John Terry remains to be seen but what it does mean is that Gary Cahill gets to strengthen his own credentials for the England Squad this Summer as he will no doubt come into replace Zouma.
His main job will be keeping a Newcastle side that were victorious last week at home to a particularly blunt West Brom. Newcastle’s January spending splurge is already showing early dividends with Jonjo Shelvey and Andros Townsend having particularly good performances at St James Park last Weekend so Steve McClaren will be hoping for more of the same this Evening.
He’ll also be hoping that Alexsander Mitrovic can find the net again as it was his winner which dragged Newcastle out of the bottom 3 last weekend. The Magpies have only scored 26 times this season and Mitrovic hasn’t quite lived up to his price tag but if he can get a few more winning strikes before now and May then he’ll be given the freedom of Newcastle.
Unfortunately that civic reception is going to have to be put on hold for at least a week as I think Chelsea shouldn’t have too many problems as their season edges closer and closer towards some sort of normality. Then again we’ve been saying Chelsea should have this covered all season so don’t be too surprised if Newcastle get something out of this. But I’m going with my gut instinct and that is a Chelsea win this Evening.
