Newcastle United welcome Chelsea to St James’ Park this weekend with both sides returning to league duty after midweek Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Newcastle will try to use Wednesday’s cup win as a springboard after a derby setback in the league, while Chelsea arrive with confidence from both a cup victory and a recent Premier League win that moved them back into the top four.
Newcastle’s last match in any competition was their 2–1 Carabao Cup quarter-final win over Fulham on 17 December, sealed by a stoppage-time header from Lewis Miley after Yoane Wissa opened the scoring early. Their last Premier League game was the 1–0 derby defeat away at Sunderland on 14 December, a result that left them on 22 points.
Chelsea’s last match in any competition was their 3–1 Carabao Cup quarter-final win at Cardiff City on 16 December, with Alejandro Garnacho scoring twice and Pedro Neto also on the scoresheet. Their last Premier League game was a 2–0 home win over Everton on 13 December, a result that snapped a four-game winless league run and lifted Enzo Maresca’s side into fourth on 28 points.
Team news is relevant on Tyneside. Newcastle’s defensive options have been stretched further after the Fulham tie, with Tino Livramento expected to miss the Chelsea match following a knee issue picked up in that quarter-final, while Lewis Hall has been pushing to return after missing midweek. Dan Burn remains out with a rib/lung injury and is projected back later. Chelsea’s squad situation is less clearly defined from the most recent match reports cited above, but they do at least arrive without an additional match in the 48 hours before this fixture.
Tactically, Newcastle at St James’ Park are likely to lean into intensity and tempo, particularly after the crowd-driven surge that carried them through the Fulham cup tie. Chelsea, under Maresca, will look to control possession and manage transitions carefully—especially against a Newcastle side that can turn momentum quickly at home.
The league context adds edge. Chelsea are trying to protect their top-four position, while Newcastle will see a home match against elite opposition as an opportunity to convert cup momentum into league points. With both teams coming off quarter-final wins but carrying different league pressures, this one shapes up as a high-intensity contest where the early rhythm—and how each side copes defensively in transition—could decide the tone.
