[Teams] Newcastle United vs Chelsea: Confirmed line-ups from St James’ Park

Chelsea will be eyeing a fourth-straight Premier League win when they face Newcastle United at St James’ Park this afternoon.

Thomas Tuchel has made plenty of changes from the side that edged past Southampton in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night with Edouard Mendy among those recalled. Kepa Arrizabalaga makes way despite his penalty shoot-out heroics in midweek.

Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva are also recalled to the Chelsea defence after being rested in the cup so Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr drop out. Andreas Christensen is also back in the starting eleven so Reece James moves out to the right wing-back position.

That means Cesar Azpilicueta has to settle for a place on the Chelsea bench today but Ben Chilwell is recalled to start on the left flank with Marcos Alonso the man dropping out after he started in the League Cup.

Mateo Kovacic has been ruled out for a few weeks due to injury but N’Golo Kante is fit to start alongside Jorginho in the middle of the park this afternoon. Saul Niguez drops to the bench after starting in midweek.

Havertz starts

Romelu Lukaku, Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner is ruled out for Chelsea due to injuries so Kai Havertz starts in attack along with Hakim Ziyech. Callum Hudson-Odoi also keeps his place so Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have to make-do with places on the bench.

As for Newcastle, Callum Wilson starts up front and is supported by Alan Saint-Maximin. Ryan Fraser gets a chance to impress but Joe Willock, Jonjo Shelvey and Joelinton are named among the substitutes.

Here are the confirmed line-ups:

Newcastle

Darlow, Manquillo, Krafth, Lascelles, Clark, Ritchie, Hayden, Longstaff, Fraser, Saint-Maximin, Wilson

Subs: Dubravka, Schar, Joelinton, Shelvey, Lewis, Murphy, Almiron, Willock, Gayle

Chelsea

Mendy, Christensen, Silva, Rudiger, James, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell, Ziyech, Havertz, Hudson-Odoi

Subs: Kepa, Bettinelli, Alonso, Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Sarr, Barkley, Loftus-Cheek, Saul