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Chelsea

• Chelsea have lost only one of their past 12 home games in all competitions (won eight, drawn three).
• The Blues haven't lost a Premier League home fixture in the month of March since 2001, a run of 37 fixtures.
• Their tally of 36 points is only one fewer than they managed in the whole of last season.

Newcastle United

• Newcastle have lost six of their past eight away matches in the Premier League, winning the other two.
• The Magpies have conceded 29 away league goals this season; only Sheffield United have a worse record.
• They are on a run of 10 away games without a clean sheet.

Roberto Colombi: We massively overachieved last year by qualifying for Champions League. We have a strong starting 11 but lack squad quality. Howe has had terrible luck with injuries so any downturn is not due to him. 100% back him. Think he’s doing an amazing job at the club.

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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has told Anthony Gordon his England dream will take care of itself if he maintains his scintillating form at club level.

The 23-year-old scored his 10th goal of the season in Saturday’s 3-0 Premier League victory over Wolves to underline the progression he has made since his £45m switch from Everton in January 2023.

Gordon’s efforts have inevitably seen his name thrown into the conversation surrounding Gareth Southgate’s squad for this month’s friendlies against Brazil and Belgium and, beyond that, the Euro 2024 finals.

Asked how close he was to the senior squad, club boss Howe said: “I don’t know, that’s for Gareth to talk about, not me. But his form this season has been consistent and that is what Gareth will be looking for, consistent performances above a certain level.

“He will be looking for goals and assists from his wingers, and he’s delivered that as well. I think he’s in a really good place. I would say to him, don’t focus on England, focus on your club form. Keep doing the right things with us and everything else will take care of itself.

“Anthony has done that and I don’t think he’s been distracted at any time. He’s kept looking at the short term and is very motivated to play every minute of every game, which I love about him. His career is in a good place.”

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How can anyone accurately predict Chelsea versus Newcastle, given the inconsistency we've seen from both teams recently? Which Chelsea team will turn up, and which Newcastle side will we see?

The Magpies bounced back from a bad defeat at Arsenal by beating Wolves, but they haven't won back-to-back league games since the start of December.

I've lost count of the number of times I've backed Chelsea at home, and been wrong, but surely they're going to win again at Stamford Bridge before the end of the season?

I went with the law of averages when I picked a Newcastle home victory last week, so hopefully the same method will work again with Chelsea this time.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

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Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has insisted he would "never" quit his job amid the club's struggles this season.

He was booed by some Blues fans, who also called for him to leave, during last weekend's draw at Brentford.

"I knew it was going to be tough [and] we need time and belief," he said.

"We understand the frustration and the reception. We need to try to improve the way we play and try to change this feeling. We need our fans and we hope that on Monday the fans will be great and behind us for 90 minutes to win the game.

"Today it is a different Chelsea. If you are going to judge us, comparing the past of Chelsea, for sure no-one is going to win. No-one is going to succeed. No-one is going to be nice with you."

Chelsea have spent more than £1bn on transfers since Todd Boehly's takeover in May 2022 but have struggled for consistency this season, having won 10 and lost 10 games of their 26 in the top flight this season.

Asked if he would consider walking away, Pochettino replied: "No. Why? Never."

Chelsea

Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, speaking to Sky Sports: "It's a massive game. We know the threat Newcastle pose and we are ready, we are going into the game looking to win."

On Stamford Bridge: "It's very important how Stamford Bridge is, we need to use the atmosphere and win the game today.

"We will be ready, we have watched Newcastle throughout the week and we have done a few bits - the boys are ready."

Ian Wright
Former England striker on Sky Sports

On Chelsea's development this season...

I don't think it has worked up to this point.

I thought Mauricio Pochettino would have had more of a solid base for what he is trying to do.

There has been too many chances missed and it's too easy to break through their midfield and get at their back four.

The FA Cup game [against Leicester City, March 17) for them is massive and Chelsea need to get on some kind of run for their fans to pin their hopes on.

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The meeting with Newcastle at Stamford Bridge will be Chelsea's first league outing in front of their own fans since the team were jeered off at the end of a 4-2 loss to Wolves more than a month ago.

And there were signs of disquiet too during the narrow FA Cup win against Championship side Leeds. Mauricio Pochettino's team were also booed by their own supporters in the 2-2 draw at Brentford at the weekend.

“Saturday after the Brentford game, the draw was like a defeat,” said Pochettino.

“My coaching staff were with me at home. We finished the day watching Valencia v Real Madrid, more football. We shared a glass of wine. But nothing exciting. Only watching football. I think that healed, watching more football. The last few days I watched the Champions League, the Championship, the Asian Champions League.”

Asked how his wife, with whom he marked 31 years of marriage the day before Chelsea’s Christmas Eve defeat to Wolves, deals with these moments, Pochettino said: “She knows very well because the mood is not good.

“When the mood is not good, it’s not easy for the family. The responsibility is to win and provide good feelings to our fans, the people that trust in us.

“Five games we didn’t lose in 90 minutes, you could say it was a good run. But the draw with Brentford appeared again the problems.”

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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe does not accept that the return of Champions League football to St James’ Park came too early for the club.

After Amanda Staveley’s consortium completed its takeover in October 2021, the Magpies drew up a five-year blueprint which included a place at European football’s top table, although last season’s remarkable surge to a top-four Premier League finish served up that goal way ahead of schedule.

Head coach Howe freely admits the club over-achieved in muscling its way into the big time, and the current campaign has proved significantly more testing with injuries taking their toll on his squad.

However, asked if they had set the bar too high, Howe said: “I don’t think I can look at it that way.

“We were delighted to qualify for the Champions League. There was no part of me that was thinking, ‘We’re not ready for this’ or, ‘It’s too early’.

“You have to grab the opportunity when it’s there and we did. But of course with that comes the expectation and then you have to deal with that. We have to do better at dealing with that. This season has been a challenge.”

Newcastle United

Newcastle forward Alexander Isak, speaking to Sky Sports: "We have been playing good in the last two games, today is a big one and we need to win if we want to compete for Europe."

On consistency: "It's important that we play good, but ultimately that we win games. There is not long left, we want to be up there and reach Europe so we have to grab three points.

"I think in the last game we have come back to our standards, we know we have the quality and it's about getting back to our best and hopefully we can show that today."

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Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier will miss the trip to Chelsea and the FA Cup quarter-final at Manchester City which follows it, as well as England’s friendly double-header against Brazil and Belgium, with a minor calf injury.

Tino Livramento, a £32m summer signing from Southampton, replaces Trippier in Newcastle’s starting line-up tonight and Trippier has tipped his 21-year-old team-mate for a bright future.

“Tino, for such a young guy, is unbelievable," said Trippier. "I’ve had loads of talks with Tino, firstly to try to help him. I know he’s my position, but I don’t want to be selfish.

“He’ll be unbelievable for Newcastle in the future and an England right-back as well. That’s how highly I rate him.”

Magpies head coach Eddie Howe has been hugely impressed by Livramento’s performances to date at left-back, right-back and in midfield.

“If you’re not in the team, your aim and ambition should be to try to get into the team, to try to prove you’re better than the team-mate that you’re competing against," said Howe.

“If you have that in your squad, you’ve got a healthy squad, you’ve got a good balance between being a good team-mate and fighting for your place.

“Tino has shown all those qualities this year. He has been learning and developing behind the scenes, he’s been no doubt picking things up off Kieran and I’ve enjoyed seeing them both battle against each other.”

Chelsea make two changes to the side who drew with Brentford last weekend.

Marc Cucurella starts after his return from injury with Raheem Sterling also coming into the side.

There is more bad news for the Blues on the injury front as Ben Chilwell (knee) and Levi Colwill (toe) are both out of action.

Conor Gallagher has been suffering with a virus during the week but retains his place in the starting eleven and captains the side.

Chelsea XI: Petrovic, Cucurella, Chalobah, Disasi, Fernandez, Caicedo, Gallagher, Gusto, Sterling, Jackson, Palmer.

Subs: Sanchez, Silva, Mudryk, Madueke, Chukwuemeka, Casadei, Deivid, Gilchrist, Acheampong.

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Eddie Howe also makes two alterations to the Newcastle side who beat Wolves last weekend.

The Magpies are without Kieran Trippier, who has a calf problem and Tino Livramento replaces him.

Miguel Almiron replaces Jacob Murphy in attack.

Lewis Hall is unavailable to face his parent club while Callum Wilson, Joelinton and Nick Pope remain long-term absentees.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka, Livramento, Schar, Botman, Burn, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock, Almiron, Isak, Gordon.

Subs: Karius, Lascelles, Ritchie, Targett, Krafth, Murphy, Anderson, White, Miley.

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As always we want your thoughts on all the action.

It has been a poor campaign for both Chelsea and Newcastle, so what are your thoughts on their respective managers - Mauricio Pochettino and Eddie Howe?

Contacts us via the ways listed above and we will stick the best messages in this page throughout the night.

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Mark Chapman is joined by ex-Premier League striker Chris Sutton, former England Lionesses captain Steph Houghton and The New York Times football Correspondent Rory Smith as they reflect on the weekend's football.

You can tune into BBC Radio 5 Live or click the icon at the top of this page to listen live - on air from 19:00 GMT.

It's a Premier League title race for the ages, with one point separating the top three with 10 matches left each.

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What a few days it has been in the Premier League. This is what has happened...

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Hello and thanks for joining us for BBC Sport's coverage of the Premier League match between Chelsea and Newcastle, with a kick-off of 20:00 GMT.

Chelsea and Newcastle supporters would have been hoping for more this season, but there is still time to salvage something from what has been a difficult campaign for both teams.

Both sides are still in the FA Cup and could still finish high enough in the Premier League to secure European football for 2024-25.

Chelsea v Newcastle is the Monday night football at Stamford Bridge.

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