The Premier League Matchday 36 clash between Newcastle and Chelsea will take place on May 11 at St. James' Park in Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle vs. Chelsea: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Newcastle
Eddie Howe's side hasn't drawn a match in the league since early December, securing 14 wins and suffering 6 losses during this period. This uncompromising streak finally ended in the last round with a 1-1 draw away to Brighton. As a result, the club lost third place, overtaken by the Citizens, but remains in the Champions League zone, sitting in fourth. However, they can't afford to relax, as sixth-placed Nottingham Forest is only two points behind Newcastle.
- At least three goals have been scored in 6 of the club's last 7 Premier League games.
- Newcastle has won 6 of their last 8 matches in the Premier League.
- The team has secured five consecutive home wins in the league.
Predicted lineup for Newcastle (4-5-1)
Nick Pope – Kieran Trippier, Valentino Livramento, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn – Jacob Murphy, Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, Joseph Willock, Harvey Barnes – Alexander Isak.
Defender Jamaal Lascelles, forward Joelinton, and midfielder Lewis Hall will miss out due to injuries.
Chelsea
The Londoners are fifth in the league standings, trailing Newcastle only on goal difference. In the last round, the team managed to defeat Liverpool at home, taking advantage of the visitors' championship mood (3-1). Chelsea climbed into the Champions League zone thanks to three consecutive Premier League wins: besides the Reds, they also overcame Fulham (2-1) and Everton (1-0). Notably, Enzo Maresca's side boasts the third-best defense in the Premier League, conceding just 41 goals.
- Chelsea's unbeaten run in the league stands at six matches (4 wins and 2 draws).
- No more than three goals have been scored in 6 of Chelsea's last 8 Premier League games.
- The club hasn't lost the second half in their last nine Premier League matches (6 wins and 3 draws).
Predicted lineup for Chelsea (3-4-3)
Robert Sanchez – Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella – Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia – Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson.
Forward Mykhaylo Mudryk continues to serve a suspension due to a failed doping test. Defender Wesley Fofana, forward Christopher Nkunku, and midfielder Omari Kellyman are out due to injuries.
Referee
John Brooks (England)
Matches – 15 (Premier League, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 76;
Average yellow cards per match – 5.1;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 23;
Penalties – 20%.
Newcastle vs. Chelsea: Match Prediction
The loser of this match is highly likely to find themselves outside the Champions League zone after this round. The stakes are high, so both teams approach this game with utmost concentration. The opponents are well aware of each other's attacking potential and will try to play as cautiously as possible in defense during this encounter.
In my opinion, there won't be more than three goals in this match. Such a number of goals were scored in 6 of the last 7 head-to-head encounters at St. James' Park in the league. Additionally, Chelsea has become noticeably more cautious in defense in the second half of the season, rarely allowing more than one goal, which was the case in 8 of their last 9 Premier League matches. Therefore, I favor a prediction of Total under 3.5 goals.
