Game Week 16 Predictions: Newcastle to heap more misery on Chelsea?

Miguel Almiron is proving to be unstoppable this season, can Chelsea stop the Paraguayan? (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

Newcastle vs Chelsea

St. James’s Park

6:30pm

The surprise team of the season so far will take on one of the most indifferent teams of the season at St. James’s Park on Saturday with high flying Newcastle United hosting Chelsea.

The World Cup break is upon us and no one wants to go in with a defeat. Both sides have players representing their respective national teams but Callum Wilson must be the happiest one, beating Tammy Abraham and Ivan Toney to the final striker spot on the trip to Qatar.

Newcastle United are currently in 3^rd and would love things to stay that way until at least the end of the World Cup and one way to ensure that is simply by beating Chelsea when they visit in their last game before the break.

Newcastle beat Southampton last weekend convincingly and ultimately got their manager fired; as a consequence, Miguel Almiron and Eddie Howe scooped the player and manager of the month awards respectively as a testament to the great work happening at St. James’s Park.

Chelsea’s indifferent form continues as they have now slipped out of the top four and even in danger of having to fight for a place in Europe. The Blues were nowhere near their best when they hosted Arsenal last weekend and lost.

The loss to the league leaders meant they crashed out of the top six entirely and also went six points behind their opponent of the day. Only a win will suffice for Graham Potter’s side on Saturday as they would like to be in the mix of top six going into the break.

What a difference one year can make for Newcastle and Eddie Howe, from fighting relegation to being thrown into the top title conversations; they will line up against Chelsea like a team that wants to stay in the top four and also aim higher.

Chelsea must be brave and compact. The showing against Arsenal should drive them to want more from their strengths. Chelsea was so bad against the Gunners that even their manager couldn’t watch, they need to put the Arsenal anger to great use when they visit Newcastle.

Watch out for Almiron and Bruno Guimareas. Both are on their way to something special this season and only a disrespectful opposition won’t take them seriously. Is this the fixture where Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling would get kicking?

Verdict: Newcastle to win or draw