Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

You can just picture the scene at St James' Park - there will be a full house and, with new signing Chris Wood, they will be expecting a really good performance and a win.

Newcastle need it, not just to improve their own situation but to keep Watford right in the relegation mix as well.

The problem Eddie Howe's men have there is that, defensively, we know they are all over the place.

I still think the Magpies will win, because Watford are leaking a lot of goals, but it might be a tense finish and Newcastle will need their fans as well as Wood to get them over the line.

Prediction: 2-1

Lawro's full predictions v grime star & Wolves fan S-X.

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "Absolutely well deserved. We cannot expect ten, 12 chances against that team. They're European champions.

"They waited in the transition to punish us and we scored the goal in a transition. We knew exactly what team we were playing and how good they are.

"In general today, we were so patient. In transition they are one of the strongest teams, alongside Liverpool of course. If we don't finish the actions they can run and they are so good at that. Sometimes the situations outside look simple, but they are so difficult."

On Kevin de Bruyne: "We are together since day one here. What we have done, we have done together. He's won a lot at this club and he remains the same guy I met on the first day.

"He's incredibly humble, always does it for the team. It's so difficult to find a player with this humility. I know the beginning of the season was not his best, but we are always there to help him. The goal is typical of him. I'm very pleased for him because he deserved it."

Chelsea

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, speaking to BT Sport: "A result like this can happen. We deserved a draw. We didn't allow big chances - one from a big mistake in the first half, but we were not under that much pressure.

"Performance-wise it was OK. From the commitment I'm absolutely OK with the performance. We have won games like this against City and that feels very different, but that's the way it is.

"We had eight or nine offensive transitions and zero touches in the box. It was simply a lack of precision and a lack of composure. On a level like this we lost too many balls too easily. That was a big problem in our game today.

"We had moments where we suffered, but not stronger than in the first game. In the first half we can do much better and create better chances with better ball control."

On Romelu Lukaku: "Sometimes he has to do the service. He had many ball losses and a huge chance. Of course we want to serve him but he's part of the team. The performance up front in the first half, we can do much, much better."

On the title race: "It's not my question to answer. We won't give up, but if City keep on winning every game, nobody can catch them."

Alan Shearer
Former England striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

It’s needs-must for Newcastle. They needed a centre-forward, they had to go out and buy. Chris Wood thrives on crosses, Newcastle have to get crosses in.

If I was in centre-forward with Allan Saint-Maximin out on the right, I would be screaming at him, going mad at him, to get more crosses in. He can do all his little tricks and flicks because he is good at that, but he has to cross more. Wood thrives on that.

Tipsforlife: Chelsea absolutely abysmal today. Walking around the pitch counting their cash. Never seen a team submit so entirely from the 1st minute.

Dan: All that money spent by Chelsea...and one shot on target.

Norwich City

Norwich manager Dean Smith: "We are coming into it confident. We are down four or five central midfielders - Kenny McLean is the latest to go into isolation - but that is just the way of the world at the moment.

"We have got some senior players back with Grant Hanley, Tim Krul and Teemu Pukki in place and hopefully we can put in a better performance than we have in the past few weeks.

"The last couple of games have not been a true reflection of ourselves."

Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport at St James' Park

So Chris Wood has a chance to make himself an instant hero on Tyneside in what could prove to be a pivotal game in Newcastle's bid to stay up.

The Kiwi was in confident when he spoke to the media in midweek and is finding the net in his warm-up. Boss Eddie Howe says Wood's experience of a "relegation dogfight" was part of the former Burnley striker's appeal, even if he did cost £25m.

Today's match very much slots into that category.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City have won 12 consecutive Premier League matches, since a 2-0 home defeat versus Crystal Palace on 30 October.This is the ninth time in English top flight history a team has won as many as 12 successive games within a single campaign, and the fourth time by Manchester City.Only once before has a team won as many as 12 successive top flight fixtures within a single season and not go on to win the title. In 1891-92, Preston North End finished second despite a 13-match winning streak (champions Sunderland also had a 13-game winning run).

Dion Dublin
Former Manchester United striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

Is this the same with everybody? What goes on? Can you just have a look around your squad and think, 'You know what, we could do with him playing... hold on a minute, he's got Covid.'

We just don't know what's going on. From the outside looking in, it looks like clubs are thinking they want a stronger side for a certain game and so they're asking for it to be called off. It's a confusing situation.

That is the second game of this weekend lost. We should have had four games today at 3pm, but instead we have just three, with Burnley v Leicester being postponed.

The Clarets are already playing catch-up on fixtures.

Mark Chapman
BBC Radio 5 Live presenter

What an absolute shambles this is becoming. I'm not just saying the north London derby, there are others in the last couple of weeks, managers are doubting each other, clubs are being accused of self-interest, nobody has a clue what is going on.

Premier League

So there it is - the confirmation that Sunday's north London derby is off.

This is what the Premier League had to say in a statement released just now...

"Following a request from Arsenal FC, the Premier League Board met today and regrettably agreed to postpone the club’s away fixture against Tottenham Hotspur, due to be played at 4:30pm on Sunday 16 January.

"With Arsenal having fewer than the required number of players available for the match (13 outfield players and one goalkeeper), the Board accepted the club’s application. The decision is a result of a combination of COVID-19, existing and recent injuries and players on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations. All clubs are able to apply for a postponement if COVID-19 infections are a factor in their request.

"The League apologises for the inconvenience and disruption caused to supporters who would have attended or watched the game - we are fully aware that postponements disappoint clubs and fans."

Tomorrow's north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal has been postponed.

Thomas: Chelsea lacked so much intent today - just sideways passing. The ball never came to Lukaku and he couldn’t do what he was brought into do. Also, why did Mount only come on in the 80th minute, could have made a big difference.

Manchester City

Manchester City goalscorer Kevin De Bruyne speaking to BT Sport: "It was a big game and they came here with a good plan, they were tight defensively but we played a good game. Its nice to to score, it was important as it was the only one. We knew if we won we would make the gap bigger.

"We have been in this situation before, things can change and momentum can change. The team was focused on what we could do today.

"I got away from N'Golo Kante at the right time, I was looking at the space and they were dropping off, I found the angle and it worked perfectly.

"It’s always difficult against them they are tight defensively, know what they are doing and you have to be patient. We played the game we needed to play and did what we had to do.

"They can be very dangerous, it was a very hard game, people on both sides coming back from Covid and not much training."

City's title? "They (Chelsea) need to be almost perfect, there is another team dangling there, so we need to keep momentum and win each game by game."

Image source, BBC Sport

There are two points separating these two sides - Newcastle second bottom, Watford directly above the relegation zone.

They both need a win.

Newcastle have only won one of their 21 matches in all competitions this season.

Watford have lost 13 of their 18 league fixtures this season. No team has lost more often at the halfway stage of a 38-game Premier League campaign and gone on to avoid relegation.

They are also on a club top-flight record run of 28 consecutive matches without a clean sheet.

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

We all hoped that Chelsea would turn up and go toe-to-toe like they did against Liverpool, but they didn't. They came with a different attitude, they sat off.

That shows Man City's superiority, that every team in the league feel the need to just stand off them. Maybe that was where Chelsea already lost this game before they came here, because of that attitude.

Image source, Getty Images

Everton

Everton manager Rafael Benitez: "It is always important to have those players back, to have those options.

Salomon Rondon and Dominic Calvert-Lewin up front?: "We will try to be strong up front. The new faces are settling in well, they are young players who want to show the quality they have."