Mark Lawrenson
Ex-Liverpool defender

Newcastle will be awkward, perhaps even more so than usual, after their non-performance in their defeat at Southampton last time out. Magpies boss Steve Bruce will try to make them much tighter, and they will have to be to keep Chelsea out.

Frank Lampard's side were just hitting their stride before the international break, especially in attack - they created so many chances in their win over Sheffield United.

Prediction: 0-2

Lawro v Idles bassist Adam Devonshire

Premier League

It's been a season unlike any other so far. With Leicester currently sat top of the Premier League and solid performances from the likes of Everton, Southampton and Aston Villa, just how out of the ordinary can this season get? Could we have a club from outside the 'big six' win the Premier League again?

We weighed up the options here.

Image source, Getty Images

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

I would take a point now if someone offered it

I think the hope for myself and a lot of the Newcastle fans, when you look at Chelsea going to St. James’ Park, they’ve only taken one win from their last seven.

I’m disappointed Callum Wilson isn’t on the team sheet, but definitely, I’d take a point right now.

Chelsea

If Chelsea win this they will become the SEVENTH different club to top the Premier League in 2020-21 after Arsenal, Everton, Leicester, Liverpool, Southampton and Spurs.

And even then they could easily get knocked off it again in a few hours. And the side that might replace them could then also lose top spot. Bonkers season.

Maurizio Sarri was in charge the last time Chelsea topped the table in September 2018.

Newcastle United

Image source, EPA

We've got some more on the Almiron situation, fresh from Brucey himself...

Paraguay international Almiron starts from the bench against Chelsea but Bruce has just told TV it has nothing to do with the agent's interview, mentioned a couple of entries back.

"He only came back from international duty yesterday," said the Newcastle boss.

Say it quietly to all the other teams, but Chelsea look to be finding their feet. I mean, when you spend like they have, on players of such calibre, is was always going to get there sooner rather than later.

They are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions, six of them in the Premier League. No side has scored more league goals this season than the Blues. On top of that, they have not lost an away league fixture this term (W2, D2) and have kept back-to-back clean sheets on their travels.

Chelsea have also won five of their past seven Premier League meetings with Newcastle.

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has called Miguel Almiron's agent an 'amateur' after claims made on Paraguayan radio that Almiron would have already left Tyneside if it had not been for the coronavirus pandemic, with Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid both interested in signing him.

The midfielder has scored four goals in his two and a bit seasons at the club.

Read the full story here.

Image source, Getty Images

Anthony!

That was the other one from Blue.

As usual, Football Focus will be along at 12:00 GMT. Amongst other things, this week we will be hearing from Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the game between the Toffees and Fulham, which is live on BBC One. That's live. On BBC One.

Oh yeah, we're showing a game again. Guess who's big in the back time?

Here's a little taster of what Ancelotti had to say...

Richarlison can challenge for the Ballon d'Or. Discuss.

They're playing 'All Rise' by Blue at St James' Park. Getting everyone in an early 2000s kinda mood, back when things were going a bit better round these parts.

I'm not complaining, though, it's a tune from the lads - Duncan, Simon, Lee and the other one.

That's a pretty well-balanced Chelsea side. I appreciate they've spent a lot of money to get it that way, but you have to admit it's useful.

Threats from everywhere. Really looking forward to seeing more of Ziyech. Partly because I've just put him in my fantasy team.

Werner will have a bit of frustration to take out on someone too after Germany's international mauling by Spain.

Image source, .

Four changes for Newcastle from the side that started the 2-0 defeat at Southampton on 6 November.

Leading scorer Callum Wilson misses out with a hamstring injury, while Swiss defender Fabian Schar, midfielder Jeff Hendrick and Paraguay's Miguel Almiron drop to the bench.

In come Ciaran Clark - his first Premier League appearance of the season - Joelinton, Javier Manquillo and Isaac Hayden.

Newcastle XI: Darlow, Manquillo, Fernandez, Lascelles, Clark, Lewis, Murphy, Hayden, S Longstaff, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton.

Substitutes: Schar, Carroll, Shelvey, Hendrick, Krafth, Almiron, Gillespie.

Image source, .

Chelsea make one change from the side that started the 4-1 win over Sheffield United two weeks ago.

Frank Lampard suggested Thiago Silva would not feature after the 36-year-old played for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier away to Uruguay on Tuesday.

Silva does not even appear on the bench, Antonio Rudiger coming in for his first league start of the season.

Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Zouma, Rudiger, Chilwell, Kovacic, Kante, Mount, Ziyech, Abraham, Werner.

Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Christensen, Jorginho, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Azpilicueta, Emerson Palmieri.

Just watching Steve Bruce and Frank Lampard having a jovial chat on the touchline at St James'. Wonder if the latter is getting tips on the football-themed murder mystery books he's thinking of writing? Learning from the master.

Quickly, someone sound the Joelinton warning. The big man is starting.

Wilson's absence really is a blow to Newcastle. They're facing a form side here and doing so without pretty much the only man who scores goals for them.

Huge blow for Newcastle as Callum Wilson, who has scored six of his side's 10 Premier League goals this season, misses out with a hamstring injury. Miguel Almiron starts on the bench.

Antonio Rudiger makes his first league appearance of the season for Chelsea in place of Thiago Silva.

Full team news coming up.

Image source, .

You may have seen that we did a kit quiz this week. You can still play it here.

In classic, 'we want to hear from you' style, lets lean into this kit thing. So send us your photos of your favourite kits. Could be from the team you support, but ideally it'll be a long treasured school kit or one from your local club back in the day, sponsored by the local corner shop.

You can tweet us using the #bbcfootball hashtag or text on 81111 (UK only).

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I know what you're thinking... "yeah, yeah Phil, but what about this morning's gossip?!" OK, if you insist...

Apparently, Arsenal are exploring ways to structure a deal for Dominik Szobaz.... Szobaoz... Szobozisozoz.... some midfielder from RB Leipzig.

Liverpool have been told they will have to pay £26.7m if they want to bring in Ajax defender Perr Schuurs, 20, with AC Milan also interested in the Dutch centre-back.

Although, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp says he has no idea if Premier League champions will target a new defender in the January transfer window.

And Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman remains convinced Lionel Messi will stay at the club and has refused to be drawn into a debate regarding the 33-year-old Argentina playmaker's future.

Right then, so who is missing this weekend because of either testing positive for Covid-19 or coming into close contact with someone who has?

I think this is the full list...

Mohamed Elneny, Sead Kolasinac (both Arsenal), Luka Milivojevic (Palace), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Matt Doherty (Tottenham), Callum Robinson (West Brom), Andriy Yarmolenko (West Ham) and Conor Coady (Wolves).

On Monday, the Premier League announced 16 positive results from 1,207 players and club staff tested for coronavirus between 9 and 15 November.

That is the most positive cases this season and the most since the league restarted in June. The previous high was 10 from 21-27 September.

The latest round of testing did not include those on international duty, with 439 fewer tests than the previous week.