Date: Saturday 20th December 2025
Venue: St James Park
Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
Fresh from the latest episode of “Maresca’s Marvels: The Team Selection Saga”, our intrepid manager is back at the helm for another lunchtime adventure, this time taking us on a northerly trek to the land of brown ale and big coats. Because logic is obviously optional, we’ve been blessed with the earliest kick-off of the weekend—after all, who needs sleep, or properly functioning hamstrings?
As if midweek football drama wasn’t enough, both Chelsea and Newcastle managed to squeeze every ounce of tension from their EFL quarter-finals: we scraped past Cardiff with all the grace of a cat on a tiled floor, while Newcastle left their winning act so late you’d have thought Ant and Dec were scripting it.
Newcastle, currently allergic to clean sheets, are probably still smarting after their bruising derby defeat to Sunderland. Meanwhile, Chelsea dispatched Everton 2-0, after Maresca had suffered his worst 48 hours, leaving us clinging on to fourth place like a toddler to a Christmas toy, thanks also to a few festive favours elsewhere.
Now, let’s be honest, returning to St James’ Park hasn’t exactly been a gift recently—three trips, three Newcastle victories. So perhaps it’s wise to brace ourselves for another Maresca meltdown as we roll into the festive fixtures.
Ho ho ho, what could possibly go wrong?
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into today’s game, Newcastle manager, Eddie Howe, says “We like the early kick-offs, we like playing at home, so anything we can do to swing it in our direction is important. They are a very good team, so we will have to be very good. It is a short recovery time for us, so it is a big challenge this week, but we are looking forward to that.”
Enzo Maresca, meanwhile, says “For me, it is always difficult to play there [St James Park]. Night or day. Newcastle are a very good team and their manager is fantastic, he [Eddie Howe] has done a fantastic job for years.
Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Lewis Miley also, they are all fantastic players, international players. They complete each other. They are physically strong, good on the ball, they are one hundred per cent complete, perfect. It is difficult for any team to face them…”
SQUAD NEWS
For Newcastle, the treatment room is starting to look more crowded than the Gallowgate End on derby day: Tino Livramento (knee), Dan Burn (rib), Nick Pope (groin), Kieran Trippier (hamstring), Sven Botman (back), Will Osula (ankle) and Emil Krafth (knee) are all keeping the physios busy. At least there’s a glimmer of hope with Lewis Hall (hamstring) – he might just make it off the massage table in time to lace up his boots.
For Chelsea, Estevao Willian is reportedly out with a muscle injury – though frankly, Maresca picking him was never really on the cards. Liam Delap (shoulder), Levi Colwill (knee), Romeo Lavia (thigh), and Dario Essugo (thigh) are all working towards their degrees in Sports Science with all this time off, while Mykhaylo Mudryk continues to serve a suspension with no apparent end.
TEAMS
NEWCASTLE (Possible line-up): Ramsdale; Miley, Schar, Thiaw, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Elanga, Woltemade, Gordon
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro
LAST SEASON
Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea (11th May 2025)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
NEWCASTLE: LWWDWL
CHELSEA: WWDLDW
OTHER STUFF
37 of the 60 Premier League games between Newcastle and Chelsea have been won by the home side
Newcastle have won their last three Premier League home games against Chelsea
Newcastle have conceded in each of their last nine Premier League games.
No side have kept more clean sheets than Chelsea in the Premier League this season (8)
Newcastle have scored two goals in each of their last five Premier League home games and are averaging two goals per game at St James’ Park
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Newcastle 2-2 Chelsea