Chelsea and Newcastle United square off in a potentially-pivotal Premier League fixture on Saturday evening.
While both teams are currently involved in Champions League ties with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona that conclude next week, Liam Rosenior and Eddie Howe are desperately in need of points on the domestic front.
Although Chelsea sit in fifth place in the Premier League table, they are just four points clear of seventh-placed Brentford.
Meanwhile, the Blues are only nine points clear of their 12th-placed opponents, who will sense an opportunity to kick-start their bid for European qualification.
How the bookies see it: Value in Newcastle as outsiders
With less than 72 hours between the 5-2 defeat at PSG and kickoff for this fixture, it is debatable whether there is value in the 4/5 offered by Bet365 for a Chelsea win.
The draw at 16/5 and Newcastle victory at 14/5 will be viewed as attractive betting odds by many punters.
Head to head: Hope for Newcastle?
This match will represent the 181st competitive meeting between the two clubs, with Chelsea prevailing on 81 occasions in comparison to 58 victories for the Magpies.
Generally speaking in this head-to-head, the home team comes out on top. Chelsea are unbeaten in 14 Stamford Bridge fixtures, whereas Newcastle have not lost in the last five meetings at St James' Park.
Although the last three such games have taken place in the North-East, Chelsea have failed to score in two of those matches, and it took an outrageous Reece James free kick during the 2-2 draw in December to end that streak.
Newcastle have also scored on their last four visits to Stamford Bridge.
Player to watch: Joao Pedro to continue hot streak
Despite failing to contribute a goal or assist at Parc des Princes, Joao Pedro remains Chelsea's in-form player with 17 goals and five assists in the Premier League and Champions League this season.
The Brazil international has also netted on his last three appearances at Stamford Bridge, against West Ham United, Leeds United and Burnley respectively.
Providing that he shakes off an illness to start this game, Anthony Gordon may feel well-rested to make an impact in the final third.
He has played just 41 minutes across the last two fixtures and could take advantage of a flimsy Chelsea defence. Furthermore, Gordon has 14 goals and four assists in the Premier League and Champions League across 2025-26.
Probable lineups:
Rosenior will inevitably make changes to his Chelsea XI, including replacing Filip Jorgensen with Robert Sanchez after his horror show in Paris.
Josh Acheampong, Mamadou Sarr, Jorrel Hato, Andrey Santos and Alejandro Garnacho may also be drafted into the starting lineup.
Howe is also expected to take a similar approach, with Jacob Murphy, Nick Woltemade and Gordon potentially forming a different front three to the trio that started versus Barcelona.
Tino Livramento may also make his first start since January after two substitute outings since his return from injury.
Chelsea: Sanchez; Acheampong, Chalobah, Sarr, Hato; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho; Pedro
Newcastle United: Ramsdale; Livramento, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Woltemade, Gordon
Anything else catch the eye?
Newcastle have scored and conceded in their last 13 matches in all competitions, whereas Chelsea have done the same across their most recent five fixtures.
Chelsea have dropped 19 points from winning positions in the Premier League, 17 of which have come at Stamford Bridge.
Three of Chelsea's last five Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge have ended in draws. One of their two wins came through overturning a 2-0 half-time deficit against West Ham United.
Two of Newcastle's three Premier League away wins have come in their last five such outings, against Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. Their two defeats during that time came at Liverpool and Manchester City.
Interested in why both teams scoring is such a strong angle? Check out our Masterclass on BTTS and sharpen your match-reading game.
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